The J. Everett Light Career Center (JELCC), located on North Central’s campus, offers over 18 Career Technical Education courses that help accommodate students for their future paths.
JELCC offers courses from autoshop, dentistry, various nursing courses and more.
Many students from various schools like Pike, Zionsville and North Central are all enrolled in JEL courses.
“I am pretty prepared for college, especially because JEL helped me with following the right path, to make sure I am ready for what I want to major in college,” senior Rokia Kouyate said.
Kouyate switched schools from Pike to North Central the second semester of her sophomore year.
She currently takes a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course at JEL, and because of that, she was able to get her CNA license at 16 years old.
“My JEL course has prepared me for my future path by having us do lots of training and clinicals which prepared us for being a CNA in the real world,” Kouyate said.
The courses are open mainly to juniors and seniors, but some sophomores take the classes as well.
“Next year, I am planning on taking the CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) course, and that would help me with nursing and any things that I might need to become an Endocrinologist,” sophomore Journey McClendon said.
Passing this course, along with many JEL courses, results in earning a certification specific to the class. Earning this certification can help boost students’ applications to college and job opportunities.
A large majority of students who enroll in JEL courses generally enroll because of other students who are or were enrolled at some point.
JEL courses also allow for many students who don’t quite know what they want to major in college, to figure out what they like and are interested in.
Junior Meredy Malloy is interested in business for her future path.
“Although I am not currently enrolled in a JEL business course, I definitely see the benefits in taking one of the classes,” Malloy said.
While JEL courses help students with planning for their future path, the courses fill up very fast.
The open house, along with enrollment for courses was Dec 4 from 5:30 to 7:30.
At the moment, the JEL building is under construction for renovation. A few of the classes got moved over to the former Hilltop Elementary School.
Overall, taking JEL courses can help high school students excel in their future path and JEL can also help students in deciding what they want to do after high school and with their future careers.
