Blue Valley CAPS Director Speaks With WHS Students
- By Susan Miller, Missourian Staff Writer
Corey Mohn, the executive director at Blue Valley School District CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies), paid a visit to the Four Rivers Career Center last Thursday to visit with students in CAPS programs here.
Mohn spoke to the students in the Business Ignite and Teaching Careers programs.
Washington School District Superintendent Dr. Lori VanLeer and Four Rivers Director Andy Robinson also were present.
Mohn gave the students a rundown on how the CAPS network started and how it has progressed over the years.
The students shared information on the various projects they’ve been working on and ideas they have for the future.
CAPS is a nationally recognized high school program which allows students to become fully immersed in a professional culture, solving real-world problems, using industry-standard tools and being mentored by actual employers, all while receiving high school and college credit.
Students in the CAPS Ignite business class at Washington High School recently pitched business ideas for the community to Downtown Washington Inc. representatives. Ideas included Food Truck Friday, Bicycle Stations, Mural Art and Breakout Rooms.
The course is being offered through the school’s business/entrepreneurship strand. The experience is
focused on business innovation.
The Ignite course, instructed by Cathy Jinkerson, is teaching students the foundational skills in the area of business when starting a company. Students will engage with real professionals in the field throughout the process.
The students also took a field trip to Cape Girardeau to visit two business incubators and another business. Downtown Washington Inc. board members and staff also were invited to participate.
This is the second CAPS course to emerge as part of the school district’s Advanced Professional Studies option. A Teaching Careers course was the first.