EXETER — It’s another “A” for effort, or maybe “A” for award, for the Seacoast School of Technology, which was awarded its second business of the year award by the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce.
The career and technical school located at 40 Linden St., which serves students from the Epping, Exeter, Newmarket, Raymond, Sanborn Regional and Winnacunnet high schools, and the Great Bay eLearning Charter School, was awarded best business of the year in education with a staff of 25 or more.
“It sends an important message that all schools are businesses,” said principal of the school, Margaret Callahan. “We have to deliver a really good product, and we do that.”
The school’s mission statement claims that SST is “dedicated to providing life entry skills for personal and professional growth through high quality education, leading students into productive lifestyles and satisfying careers.”
The many programs available for high school juniors and seniors are animal and plant science, automotive technologies, biotechnology, building construction, computer programming, culinary arts, digital communications, early childhood education, health science technologies, marketing education, pre-engineering, and technology and welding.
“We all run our classes as businesses,” said Sandy Flannigan, marketing technical educator at SST.
This is Flannigan’s third year teaching at the school, and she said her marketing technical students organize various events including one of their busiest, the Small Business Showcase, where the students run the event alongside members of EACC.
Flannigan said her marketing technology students begin planning the showcase in December and “take care of everything,” from getting businesses to join, tracking payments and the money to cover expenses, and marketing the event.
“It’s a great learning experience for them,” said Flannigan, “It’s real hands-on experience.”
Flannigan said some students come to SST not knowing what they want to do, then come to class and end up finding something they enjoy.
“It sets them up earlier in life. Experience, working in teams, leadership (skills),” Flannigan said.
Callahan said it gives students credibility at the showcase to be with members of EACC, running the event.
Said Marilyn Kellogg, the career advisor at SST for the past 11 years, the EACC and the business award “gives us incredible visibility, being a career and technical school, it really showcases what we’re all about.”
This past school year, SST reached its highest enrollment in the history of the school at 700 students. Since the school’s opening in 1980, Callahan said the idea of vocational schools has changed over the past 30 years.
Callahan said vocational schools were not highly respected before.
“There was an idea that certain types of kids go to this school,” she said. Now students have to apply and be accepted into the programs and Callahan said she spends very little time disciplining her students.
“Students choose to be here, they know they have something to lose,” said Callahan and now, “any kid from any school can walk through that door.”
Kellogg said one student came to her after a mock interview at one of the school’s business round tables and said it “changed him.” He told Kellogg he had not been planning to go to college, but because of SST he became interested in furthering his education, and has since been accepted into college.
Laurie Eldridge has been an administrative assistant at SST for 10 years and said one student came back to tell her if it hadn’t been for SST, he never would have finished high school.
“To us, that’s very rewarding to hear that,” said Eldridge, adding that it’s the hands-on learning aspect that keeps students interested.
Eldridge also said the students complete their education at SST with a portfolio of their work. Students are able to job shadow, enter into internships, get a feel for the interview process and see if it’s a good match before making any commitments to a specific career choice.
Kellogg said all instructors have a background in their specific field and continue to provide students with learning opportunities “that are relevant to the real world.”
Part of every program’s curriculum and design is to help serve the community. Students participate in many community service events every year, and the school has even won a Gold Circle Award for Volunteer Support.
“It’s part of what we are,” Callahan said.
“It’s so important for the entire community to know the value of work (here) so we can keep delivering it,” Callahan said. “The kids are really part of something really good.”
“We’re very proud of our school,” Kellogg added.