During his senior year of high school on the Puyallup Reservation, Gerald Dillon traded much of his academic coursework for career training. When he walked into the second grade classroom where he worked as a teaching assistant, students would rush from their seats for a fist bump or a hug.
The 18-year-old, who once found classes boring and put in only enough effort to pass, found renewed purpose to come to school everyday.
“It motivates me. I like making connections with the kids, I like helping them,” Dillon said.
It began in his junior year when he enrolled in career training courses. Soon, Dillon said, his grades improved. He graduated in June from Chief Leschi Schools in Washington and is now considering going to college for a teaching degree.
Administrators at the school say a shift in focus to technical training and career readiness is paying off, with more students not only staying in school but graduating on time.
