Real Opportunities for the Real World–NCA's Plan to Help Students Find Their Calling
Hello Families, Friends, and Supporters of the NorthShore Classical Academy!
The World of Work: What am I going to do with my life?
When you were really young, maybe 4 or 5 years old, there were two questions that adults frequently asked when you were with family and friends: 1) How old are you? and 2) What do you want to be when you grow up?
When you graduated from grade school to middle school, you were no longer asked your age but you were still asked what you wanted to be. Then, in high school, the questions became “what college are you considering?”, “what will be your major?”, and “do you have a job lined-up?”. These answers were harder, at least for most kids. Feeling judged or intimidated, many gave the answers the questioner expected, like “take over the family business”, “major in psychology”, or named a prestigious liberal arts college, but in reality, we did not have a clue! Maybe we’d party for a year or two at a state school before selecting a palatable major? Work a menial job and live in our parent’s basement until we found direction (or were kicked out)? Take a gap-year and travel? Even if we did go to college, we were rarely prepared with a clear plan to follow from freshman year to our first “real” job. The end result, for many of us, was a lot of debt and not a lot of prospects.
How did your answers change and where, ultimately, did all the education lead you? How much time did you spend chasing an unrealistic dream or expectation? What advice would you now give to your 18-year-old self?
Is the issue of career choice worth addressing? At NorthShore Classical Academy, the answer is a resounding “yes!”. We intend to help kids develop real answers to these questions with the World of Work Curriculum. With an innovative 4:1 schedule—four days of academic instruction and fifth day of experiential learning—students will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, receive training in essential life-skills, and explore a variety of opportunities through our distinct career pathways. The Pathways are broadly categorized into four areas:
College Preparation
Skilled Trades/Technical Education
Military Leadership
Entrepreneurship
This gives students a view into career possibilities where they can test their strengths and explore their interests, all while receiving the relevant preparation necessary to jump-start a career. Please visit our mission page to learn more!
NCA will operate under the premise that all career choices require thoughtful preparation, and the most important preparation is the Ability and Desire to Learn! NCA recognizes that over the course of a lifetime, where you started may not be where you ended up, but having a glimpse into the looking glass will help in that journey.
This is just the first of several glimpses into NorthShore Classical Academy’s World of Work Curriculum.
Until next time,
The NCA Board