ABOVE: During the August 28th Danville District 118 Board meeting, Cole Montel introduced fellow Danville High School Future Problem Solvers (L to R) Maia Roberson, Colton Stahl, Bailee Easton, and Eric Biggs.
After last year’s state and international titles with their newly created “College and Career Readiness Lab” at Danville High School, the DHS Future Problem Solvers want to take the still up and running lab one step further. The lab was created out of a corner classroom at DHS to give students the chance to prepare for college, prepare for ACT and SAT tests, and also to prepare for future careers in various trades.
Students around the county were invited to use the lab as well. As FPS member Cole Montel reported to the District 118 Board at last Wednesday’s (Aug 28th) meeting; DHS students participating in the lab last year received a total of $250,000 in college scholarships, and also scored an average of 200 points higher on the SAT test.
It went so well that the FPS faculty advisor, Social Studies teacher Lori Woods, has had her teaching position adjusted; where she now teaches mostly college and trade preparation to seniors during the first semester, and mostly ACT and SAT preparation to juniors during the second semester.
AUDIO: It’s not teaching them ‘what college is.’ It’s like ‘what is your dream? What’s your hope? And what have you done?’ And then ‘what do we need to do to help you get you to that next step?’ And then giving them that support on college applications and stuff.
Future Problem Solver Cole Montel says it definitely feels great to not only have helped so many students, but also to have literally changed what their faculty advisor does on a day by day basis.
AUDIO: I definitely thought our project could make a difference. But the fact that she gets a whole new job from it is really incredible; to show that we’re making a difference not with just students, but with teachers as well.
(1st Picture) DHS Future Problem Solvers address the District 118 Board while next to a display with awards won from the 2023-24 school year’s “College and Career Readiness Lab.” (2nd Picture) Cole Montel poses with International Championship trophy.
Lori Woods says that this year the goal is to attract current and former students to job opportunities right within Danville and Vermilion County; and that FPS students are already communicating with organizations such as Vermilion Advantage and Vermilion County Works.
AUDIO: But we have jobs, that take skills, to get kids to come back here. So how do we take our kids and get them on a path, but first showing them what those paths are? So it’s really going to be career focused on this next one. And that next path; they’re actually calling it “Homeward Bound.”
Cole Montel says he’s hoping that one year from now, “Homeward Bound” will show some success; just like the “College and Career Readiness Lab” has.
AUDIO: I want to see students really show passion for jobs in Danville, and want to come back and look at the different job opportunities that we have. Because we do have job opportunities here. The cost of living here is really great, compared to other places these people want to move to. So, coming back would be a way better option. And I think they should. And hopefully a year from now we do see people coming back to Danville, and pursuing a career here.
Meanwhile, the corner classroom housing the College and Career Readiness Lab remains busy, also being used for things such as the Viking Roundtable, and special meetings on topics such as “filling out the FAFSA form.”
