Eight Kimberly High School (KHS) students intending to pursue a career in education earned recognition at the first annual Kimberly Area School District Papermaker Promise Luncheon. The Papermaker Promise is a commitment from the Kimberly Area School District to provide these students with the following:
- A student teaching or paid internship placement in the Kimberly Area School District as available.
- An interview for any positions that align with the earned certification.
Students recognized at the event include: Rachel DeRidder, attending UW Oshkosh-Early Childhood Education; Addison Eickman, attending UW Oshkosh-Early Childhood Education; Onnicah Hosey, attending UW Oshkosh-Elementary Education; Taylor Luxem, attending UW Stout-Family and Consumer Sciences Education; Madison Olson, attending UW Oshkosh-Elementary Education; Mackenzie Bootz, attending UW Oshkosh-Art Education; Brooke Smith, attending UW River Falls-Art Education; and Sawyer Stevens, attending UW Stevens Point-Math Education.
The eight KHS students were celebrated at the luncheon held Friday, May 6, 2022. Students also had the chance to invite and honor a past teacher that inspired them to seek a career in education.
"What an awesome way to celebrate the positive connection and passion between people, inspiration, and education, said Kimberly High School art teacher and honoree Heather Schaefer. “It's an honor to know that this student has been inspired to teach art to future generations. I can only imagine what a great feeling it is for these students going into the teaching field, to know that they'll have an interview when they graduate if the opportunity is available!"
To be considered for the Papermaker Promise, students must complete the CAPP (Cooperative Academic Partnership Program) Education 110 class. CAPP is a UW Oshkosh collaboration with participating high schools to provide academically capable students an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. Students earn dual (both high school and college) credit for their work, thereby decreasing their time earning a college degree.
Students in the Education & Training Career pathway at Kimberly High School have several opportunities to earn dual credits from both Fox Valley Technical College and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Many students earn between six and eighteen credits through these post-secondary partnerships. Students can begin the pathway as early as ninth grade and earn both post-secondary credits and industry certifications through a sequence of courses, training, and capstone experiences in Co-op and/or CAPP Education. The credits earned by students while in high school transfer to colleges and universities as major requirements or electives.
According to Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher and CAPP Education 110 Instructor, Kendra Scherg, “The students being recognized today have completed the CAPP Education 110 course - a course which serves as both a general education degree requirement and program requirement of all education majors at UW Oshkosh. These students have demonstrated that they are able to meet the demands of college-level coursework and have had the opportunity to be mentors to younger students. By engaging in both classroom and experiential learning, we can provide students the ability to make informed choices about their future that they are confident in.”
