Page 12 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2024

COAST NOTE
story by Lynn Lofton photo courtesy of SMPDD
“We don't duplicate services offered by high school guidance counselors,” says Natalia Diaz, economic project manager with SMPDD. “We enhance those services and bring something unique and valuable. Our coaches have a wide array of assistance they can offer.”
Amy Hudson, career coach at Long Beach High School, says, “Our primary goal is to help students create a plan for success after graduation. We intend for every student to be either enrolled, enlisted, employed or become an entrepreneur upon leaving high school.”
“We have a really good team of coaches who are passionate about helping students,” Diaz adds. “The first group started in 2022 in Jackson County with private funding.
The coaches assist students in identifying career goals through personal and group consultation. Utilizing leadership, advocacy and collaboration, they promote academic and personal success by implementing a comprehensive program in areas of personal and social development as well as education and career needs.
“We help students explore possibilities through interest inventories, assistance with securing aid, connecting with industry and business, job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, networking and industry visiting,” Hudson said.
“Working one on one with students, counselors can help them develop plans as well as interests,” Diaz said.
At Long Beach High School Hudson is working with students on programs for closed circuit television that broadcasts to classrooms each morning. “Specific activities vary from school to school, depending on the particular needs of the school and community,” she said. “Coaches focus on enhancing and bringing additional value to programs in place at the high schools.”
The SMPDD high school career coaches work for and answer to that organization, not individual school districts. The development district partners with each school district to place a career coach in their high schools.
12 | April 2024
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