Education
CHOICES Program
 Joyce Perrin, President Union Springs Bullock County Chamber of Commerce |
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The CHOICES Program is an excellent example of how education and business can work together to benefit students as they prepare for adult life.
What could be more immediate, more long lasting, or more cost effective than changing student attitudes about education and encouraging them to do more with what is already available to them?
In March 2007, the Chamber presented a trial program at Bullock County High School. After evaluation Choices became a yearly program for our group.
For further information about this CHOICES school-business partnership effort, please contact Joyce Perrin, at Union Springs/Bullock County Chamber of Commerce at 738-2424.
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Union Springs/Bullock County Chamber of Commerce
Offers Students CHOICES
On March 24-25, 2008, Union Springs/Bullock County Chamber of Commerce presented the second annual program called CHOICES to Bullock County High School 8th grade students.
CHOICES is a two-hour seminar dealing primarily with motivation, time management, academic decisions and career consequences. Ms. Perrin, President of the Chamber, conducted the classes to the local students for two days. Ms. Adrianna Bradley (8th grade teacher at Bullock Co. High) assisted with the presentation to her students and supported the program goals that stressed students completing their education and seeking out opportunities for their future.
Ms. Perrin, a trained volunteer from Union Springs/Bullock County Chamber of Commerce led students through creative classroom exercises and discussions that stress the importance of today's academic decisions to life after graduation, whether that means entering the competitive world of work or post secondary education. The students actively participated in discussions about their futures which included setting goals and applying self-discipline in their lives to achieve life-long goals in work and education.
In a very non-directive and non-judgmental manner, the program exposes students to a full range of options or consequences that they will encounter after high school. It's up to the students to decide where on that spectrum they want to be and to make appropriate decisions today to get there. Most of the students taking the program gave positive feedback on the contents of the program.
Students participated in role playing which examined the difficulties of dropping out of school, low income working jobs, life-long challenges and the rewards of retiring if they plan their futures now. Examples of job opportunities within driving distance of Union Springs were discussed as well as the additional academic opportunities that Trenholm College provides at the local Bullock Technical School.