Options and Opportunities Program Celebrates Annual Showcase

Options and Opportunities students (O2) will display innovative projects they have created at their annual showcase Thursday, May 28, at the Nova Scotia Community College Akerley Campus in Dartmouth.

The O2 program enables high school students to explore careers through hands-on work experience. The program prepares students for the job market and helps them make informed career choices by focusing on career development. It matches students with qualified employers to give them the opportunity to gain experience in a workplace. They graduate with four co-operative education credits, a certificate in workplace health and safety and a personalized career plan.

"This is truly an exciting time for the Options and Opportunities Program," said Peter Smith, consultant for the Department of Education. "O2 students are finding success inside and outside of the classroom.

"Students who may have struggled with the traditional avenues of education are thriving in O2. I have heard many stories about students who had made poor choices and were headed down a troubled road, only to rediscover themselves and their self-confidence in this program."

According to teachers and parents, Options and Opportunities has been an overwhelming success. Originally piloted in 27 schools in the fall of 2006,the program has expanded to over 105 classrooms and 44 schools across the province. Teachers say they see significant improvements in student grades and attendance, and fewer discipline problems. Parents say relationships with their children are better and students themselves have higher self-esteem and self-worth.

"O2 has provided me with insight on the rest of my life," said J.L. Ilsley student Michael Coleman. "I had really low marks in junior high. I didn't think I would even make it through high school, but the program has helped me explore career paths that were interesting to me. I spent a co-op term working at a downtown Halifax restaurant making appetizers and desserts and now I think I could be a great chef."

This year nearly 3,000 employers supported O2 students through work placements. In June 2006, the Department of Education launched the Invest in Youth initiative to encourage employers to get involved. More than 8,000 employers have joined the database that schools can access to identify opportunities for their students.

"This showcase shows employers and potential employers the exciting projects the students have been working on all year," said Mr. Smith. "It's the perfect venue to show everyone what these students are made of."