BLOOMINGTON – The Equity Spotlight Award recipient for February 2022 is the Whole Child Team at the Hoosier Hills Career Center (HHCC). The Whole Child Team at the HHCC is the recipient of this award for their development of a universal design for a learning platform that provides employability skills for all students.
Christie McBride, Executive Director of the Hoosier Hills Career Center (HHCC), describes it as a place for students willing to work hard and obtain skills in preparation for college/university or trade and vocational careers through their universal design for a learning platform.
Last December, the HHCC Whole Child Team participated in an Equity Lab sponsored by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet that focused on student enrollment data. After analyzing their data, the team learned about the low enrollment of students with parents or elder siblings serving in the armed forces in their employability skills programs. To respond to the needs of students of military families, The Whole Child Team revised questionnaires and instituted practices to foster staff awareness around assisting students during the deployment and transition. McBride stated, “Students come to us from all different backgrounds. Knowing where they are coming from and what they are dealing with at home is very important to the teachers at Hoosier Hills. Having an active military family member can cause stress and anxiety for a student.”
Whether it is assistance with dual credit and college applications, obtaining certifications, creating resumes and interview preparation, the Whole Child Team at HHCC is motivated to see all students complete their programs.
