611 JCHS seniors urged to continue excellence

Members of the Jefferson City High School class of 2012 toss their caps into the air following the conclusion of Sunday’s graduation ceremony. Photo by Kris Wilson.

By Madeleine Leroux

Monday, May 21, 2012

More than 600 students graduated from Jefferson City High School on Sunday, in an outdoor ceremony at Adkins Stadium.

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Principal Paul Dodson said 120 of Sunday’s graduates came from the Jefferson City Academic Center, an alternative education center for high school students. More 160 graduates had earned recognition from various honor societies, including the National Honor Society, the National Music Honor Society, the National French Honor Society and the Hispanic Honor Society. More than 30 students graduated as salutatorians, earning more than 500 college credits combined.

“They have continued the traditions of excellence,” Dodson said. “I extend my personal and sincere thanks for the opportunity to be a part of your class.”

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JCLifer 1 year ago

Good luck finding a job in this economy. Guess you can always go to college and get tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of student loan debt.

Our parents left things in pretty good shape for us. Sorry we ruined it for you.

Littleinvestor 1 year ago

There are jobs available. My company has had an opening for a month and no candidate with suitable education and/or experience has applied for a job with a pretty good starting salary and health insurance. Know other businesses who are not getting suitable candidates for jobs. Graduates may be turning down or not interested in entry level jobs and pay. They need to realize they have to start at the bottom, not the top.

viktorkowski 1 year ago

entry level and experience? I would turn down a job that required edu/ experience that paid entry level pay as well. although most of my hires are phd's and high level techs I see the current generation getting raped after college. They are dumping thousands into degrees and being offered less now than 15 years ago. on the bright side these kids have at least 4 years for the economy to turn around.

edit: wanted to note I have no problem finding suitable candidates.

Littleinvestor 1 year ago

The experience is in lieu of a degree, and it is an entry level position so we are not going to pay top wages. Guess new grads are not the only ones who think they should start at the top. The other companies I am aware of have everything from entry level to managerial positions open and are not finding quality candidates. Lots of candidates who are not qualified apply though.

viktorkowski 1 year ago

if it requires experience or a degree it is not entry level. you should advertise it as experienced candidate required and stop wasting your time advertising it as entry level it just wastes resources having to weed out candidates. also, if you are trying to attract young professionals benefits such as healthcare etc are already of a expectation to them. you are going to have to emphasize something else.

Littleinvestor 1 year ago

I am an employee, not the employer. And in the past we have never had any trouble filling our entry level positions. And yes, even with a degree your first job out of college is entry level. Book smart does not mean job smart, and they have to learn the real world job before they are beyond entry level.

viktorkowski 1 year ago

keep up with the status quo. you should have no problem attracting high skilled employees. on all the social networks there has been a slow but growing number of recent grads exiting the country to better employment. the most often cited reason is employers referring to recent grads as entry level. maybe your employer needs to look within.

spelchek 1 year ago

These kids can stop their education right here. The state is more than wiling to hand out white collar jobs to HS grads, good jobs too. They may have to take 15 hours or so of curriculum related to the opening, but that's a huge discount compared to a 4 year degree. As long as you know the right people in this town there is no need to spend all that money at a four year university. Young professionals indeed.

MO4LIFE 1 year ago

They are very good jobs as long as you want to be underpaid and priced out of benefit plans! Oh yeah lets not forget the perk of collecting food stamps while being a state worker because you are so underpaid. HALF OF ALL STATE WORKERS HAVE A SECOND JOB JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET! BUT HEY ITS A JOB RIGHT!!!!!

thatguyagain 1 year ago

These comments should have a different tone and much less negativity! Congratulations to all the graduates and may the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows. I wish you all the best of luck and hope you can look past the cynics who love to post negativity online.

spelchek 1 year ago

The truth hurts.

JCLifer 1 year ago

Why pump them up and give them false hope? They will be competing with older experienced workers for low-paying entry-level jobs. If they go to college, there is a great chance they will be saddled with over $50,000 of student loan debt- that is like starting out with a mortgage hanging around your neck.

The world is not good right now, and there is little sign that it will be getting better. I am so glad I do not have kids starting out in this time. There is little to be positive and hopeful about. Being a Pollyanna and saying everything is fine and good luck, etc. is not helpful. It just sets them up for failure.

centerguy56 1 year ago

Thanks Thatg! My sentiments exactly!!!

seeno 1 year ago

I have heard of as many as 80 applicants per professional level position available all across this state. You are right. Many college grads and post grads are getting a slow, painful screw. Now days it seems pursuing your dream is a dream. Every graduation I have attended the past 4 years the speeches are predictably the same, work hard and go for your dream. It's more like don't get your hopes up and major in a degree in demand now and in the future.(tech or college) Honestly, it's better for kids who are not the top of their class in less in demand majors to know this now than later. My kids have had to learn the hard way.

linoge 1 year ago

I heard the same doom and gloom from people when I graduated High School in 1983. Trickledown Reaganomics WAS ugly and mean but today I have my health, a beautiful wife, three fine sons, and a four-bedroom four-bathroom house that is paid for etc. etc. blah blah blah..... These young people will be fine if we just shut up and let them find their own way. I hear a lot of baby boomers whining about all that was lost and the sad state of the world today. If it was so great and meant so much to you, why did you throw it all away? Was it greed, stupidity? These kids ARE getting stuck with a raw deal, but what do you care? You'll be dead in few years so stop complaining as if you were the ones who are actually suffering.

Sequoia 1 year ago

If you're good at something and can show it, you'll be fine.

spelchek 12 months ago

Agreed. “Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade." -- Benjamin Franklin

mia 1 year ago

I wish these grads well. Go to college and hope that the economy gets better. That and you need to move out of state. There are NO jobs for grads here now.

JCLifer 12 months ago

For sure no jobs with a future in this little town, that's for sure.

JCLocal30 12 months ago

College is the best choice any of these students can make. Many of these students worked hard to obtain scholarships and grants to help with college. And for those who didn't get any free financial aid, don't give up...you still have choices. Talking from experience, I did not go to college right out of high school and sometimes had to work 2 or more jobs to make ends meet. I did not want this to be the rest of my life. I went back to school, got my degree, and found a job that became a career. No more second jobs for me. Why short change yourself? With a degree you have so many more choices. It may take your across town or across the world and you may have a few bumpy roads to get there, but its worth it!

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