Lynn Tech open house offers new opportunities to students

LYNN – Eighth-graders looking to scout their options for high school had a chance to see what Lynn Vocational Technical Institute has to offer during the high school?s recent open house.Principal/Director Diane Paradis says vocational high schools are a smart choice for students for several reasons.?We have the same curriculum as other high schools, but our ? vocational technical education programs allow students to develop more skills and gain hands-on experience in the program field that they decide on,” said Paradis. “We work hard to prepare students for high-demand occupations and further education.”Paradis says she hopes the “stigma” that vocational schools have had in the past about whether they provide the same level of education as other high schools is fading.?I think people have begun to realize that vocational schools are a great option for education,” she said. “Vocational schools really work to prepare students for the real world and whatever they can confront.”Paradis says approximately 80 percent of graduating students go on to enroll in secondary education. “Most of the time what those students decide to study in college is directly related to what they studied while they were here,” she said.Paradis says that a large percentage of students at the school end up landing jobs even before they graduate. Plus, students who qualify for the school?s co-op program begin working in their field of study by their sophomore year.?We?ve seen students from every program get jobs while they?re still in school or right after graduation,” she said.Paradis says another benefit of attending a vocational school is the chance for students to feel like they?re already on a “mini-college campus.”?When I describe the campus like that to eighth-grade students, their eyes light up,” said Paradis.Paradis said Lynn Tech offers students plenty of technology.?We have a student-computer ratio of three to one ? ,” she said.The three-hour open house in the annex invited eighth-graders and their families to visit booths detailing each program that the school offers while meeting teachers and talking to alumni.?We have seen a couple hundred people stroll through tonight,” said Paradis. “A lot of our alumni showed up with their children who are now interested in coming to the school.”She says some of the most popular programs at the school include the electronics/robotics program, cosmetology, radio/TV broadcasting, web design and auto technology.?Our auto-tech program is very successful at setting students up for jobs right away,” said Paradis. “Knowing that you can take part in a program that has succeeded in setting students up for landing a job after graduation is very motivating. It?s a financial favor.”Brett Stoey, an eighth-grader at Pickering School in Lynn, visited the open house with his father and said he is interested in the field of electronics/robotics.?I am very interested in electronics and think the program has a lot to offer,” said Stoey.Stoey said he?s always been interested in attending Lynn Tech. “I think the school has a lot to offer through their programs and I just think there are more rewarding opportunities offered here as opposed to other high schools,” said Stoey. “Hopefully I?ll be one to get a job right after graduation.”Stoey stopped by the table for the radio/TV broadcasting program and chatted with teacher Donald Hussey.?You never know what will spark your interest once you get here,” Hussey told Stoey. “You might have never thought that something like TV broadcasting would interest you until you take the classes. The option for students to explore their interests is something we take pride in.”Hussey graduated from Lynn Tech in 1983 and is the former president of the Alumni Association.He says the radio/TV broadcasting program has approximately 60 kids in it and there is currently a waiting list to enter the program.?This program has gotten extremely popular in the past few years,” said Hussey. “During students?