Oley Valley staff touts expanded career pathways and FBLA student headed to nationals

Jenny Hoffman Betts, Oley Valley’s career‑development teacher and FBLA advisor, told the school board committee on May 6 that the district has expanded five in‑school career pathways designed to connect students with apprenticeships, dual‑enrollment and employer internships.

"This program came about as a recognition that not all kids come to high school ready to make big choices about their career, and they really shouldn't," Betts said, describing courses in workforce skills, tech leadership, intro to business, pre‑apprenticeship and a restructured internship program.

Betts said internship‑type participation has grown substantially: from 27 students a few years ago to 49 this year, an increase she described as roughly 81 percent. She reported 14 students in a pre‑apprenticeship program (10 of whom completed a registered pre‑apprenticeship), seven students in dual‑enrollment internships and multiple students placed with local medical providers. "We have 99 students as of a week ago who have earned over 230 credentials while a student at Oley Valley," she added, and said the district is able to offer those credentials at an estimated $6.73 per credential through partnerships and block‑grant funding.

Betts asked the board and community to support implementation of a PA Smart grant the district received to pilot "Pathways to Skilled Technical Work," saying the grant totals $75,000 and will fund micro‑badges, summer teacher cohorts and classroom lab activities designed to make math competencies visible in career tasks.

A student leader, Alita, described her own pathway through FBLA and internships and asked the district and community to help raise funds for travel to the national FBLA conference in San Antonio on June 28. "When you open the doors in FBLA, they really show you the pathways that you can take," she told the committee, recounting regional and state competition results and a pending national competition.

Betts said she is actively recruiting employer partners in IT, lab work, veterinary care and local businesses accessible by walking distance from the high school; she noted that lack of district transportation limits some placements. The packet materials Betts provided to the board included counts of credentialing and internship placements and a summary of partners, and administration said the program will continue to expand with additional summer teacher training and employer outreach.

The board thanked Betts and the students and encouraged outreach to local businesses to broaden hands‑on opportunities.