Opening doors
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles marking the 50th Anniversary of Hartselle City Schools.
The April 29, 1982, issue of the Hartselle Enquirer ran a story entitled “Class Helps Students Make Job Decisions” that was coordinated by then-teacher Linda Booth.
Career Decision Making was referred to as a “one-of-a-kind career orientation course designed to help students make decisions about employment after high school” by giving students “first hand experience about working conditions and requirements of the jobs in which they are interested.” Students took the threeweek course as sophomores in high school.
Students’ academic achievement tests, an occupational aptitude test, and general interests were considered in determining the careers students explored.
Several students were quoted in the 1982 article including thensophomore Bucky Garner who said the weeks helped him narrow the field of careers he was considering to pharmacy, computers, and aerospace engineering. Garner was quoted in the article as saying, “I am going with computers since it is such a growing field.” Fast forward to 2024, and the same Bucky Garner quoted in the article is preparing Hartselle High School students for careers in computer science.
Post-high school, Garner attended UAH and studied electrical and computer engineering after which he worked full time at Motorola as a Design Engineer. He worked for over 25 years in the high-tech community and then retired and returned to Hartselle to teach mathematics and computer science to high schoolers with dreams similar to his own.
“I remember that three-week class from my time as a student at Hartselle High School,” said Garner. “It really got me thinking about possible careers that matched my skills and interests, and it made an impression on me and many of my classmates.” Hartselle began offering com-puter classes during that time, as well. “I was fortunate to be able to take a class with Mrs. Sylvia Teague and learned to program in Basic on a Commodore 64 computer. HHS provided and still provides many opportunities for students to explore and discover their passions giving them a sense of purpose and direction.” Garner is one of many teachers who grow students through Hartselle’s Career Academies. The programs are Business, Computer Science, Education and Training, Engineering, General Agriculture, Health Science, Marketing and Work Based Learning, and Modern Manufacturing.
Elisa Harris is Hartselle’s Career Tech Coordinator. “Today’s courses are an elevated version of what teachers were working to create for students in 1982. Students learn a great deal about a field in which they are interested and often earn career credentials that are recognized by future employers. They get real hands-on/ onthe-job experience, and all Career Academy courses embed soft skill training such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving to help HCS students become good employees no matter what career path they follow.” HCS partners with companies such as Sonoco and Cerrowire to provide manufacturing experience. Education and training students work with elementary teachers and students. Health science students work in hospitals and doctors’ offices where they provide limited patient care under the watch of the medical professionals. In short, students are pursuing interests and developing skills to better prepare for the future.
Cory Wilbanks, Hartselle’s Career Coach, concurs. “Our career tech courses give students the ability to learn about different career paths and then see them firsthand with internships or job shadowing opportunities. Our classes give students real life skills that will help them be successful after graduation. They may love a career path, or they may find that they do not, but either way helps them to move toward a career that is right for them.” 42 years ago, Hartselle’s fledgling career program opened a door for a young Bucky Garner. Today, Garner and his fellow teachers continue to open doors through the experiences provided in the Career Academies they steer.
