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North Fort Myers High School
Candy, Certification, and College—Florida High SchoolCreates Pattern for Success
Interview with Becky Pacl, Business Education Teacher, North Fort Myers High School
Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor - Microsoft Office 2000, IC³ Authorized Instructor
Background
Four years ago, Steve DeShazo, principal of North Fort Myers High School in
North Fort Myers, Florida, requested business education teachers at the school
offer technology certification with their courses. Shortly thereafter, business
education teacher Becky Pacl learned about the Microsoft® Office Specialist
certification while attending a Florida Educational Technology Conference.
A Microsoft representative at the conference mentioned the certification’s
availability. Soon after, a Certiport Authorized Academic Distributor, DDC
Training Services, helped Pacl implement a pilot program to offer certification
for Microsoft Word and Excel in the upcoming school year. Not only did the
high school fulfill its goal to offer technology certifications to its students
and community, but also it found a great way to raise funds to help pay for
student certification exams.
Process
Eager to set an example of certification for her students, Pacl certified in
Microsoft Office 2000 and became a Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor
during the summer of 2000. She also established North Fort Myers High School
as an academic testing center and prepared to offer Word and Excel exams
to students during the upcoming school year. Pacl “hand picked” 30
students to participate in her pilot program. “From there, it just
grew,” she said. “This is our fourth year in, and now I’ve
got it down.” She added that certification has been a great way to
expand on the business technology courses at the high school.
Last year students at North Fort Myers High School found a creative way to
pay for their certification exams: they sell candy bars! Through an arrangement
with a local candy distributor, students sell $1 M&Ms®, Milky Way®,
and other candy as a fundraiser to offset the cost of Office Specialist and
Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) exams. Although students still
have the option to pay for their portion of the exams themselves, most students
choose to sell candy and frequently earn enough to absorb the cost of all of
their exams.
“In a school, candy sells like crazy,” Pacl said. “Our principal
is very good about this fundraiser. We’re very fortunate.”
Pacl’s yearlong course for up to 60 juniors and seniors covers Word,
Excel, PowerPoint®, and Access, in addition to other computing programs.
Pacl supplements her own curriculum with books and practice tests from DDC
Training Services and creates customized review tools using Office programs
to ensure students are prepared to pass Office Specialist exams. Students take
Word Expert, Excel Expert, PowerPoint, and Access exams before or after school
and on weekends. Office Specialist exams are not course requirements, but students
who pass them are exempt from Pacl’s standard final exams.
Pacl has held joint a seminar with DDC Training Services and business education
teachers from other schools in Lee County to spread the word about the availability
of Office Specialist certification. They have also offered teachers the opportunity
to certify and encouraged other schools to become testing centers. The seminar
resulted in one school and two vocational schools in the area becoming academic
testing centers. In addition several teachers certified, and students from
schools that were not currently testing centers were offered the opportunity
to take Office Specialist exams at North Fort Myers High School’s computer
lab.
Certification
Pacl estimated 96 percent of her students pass their Office Specialist exams.
After three years and 150 students participating in the class, 25 students
have certified in all four Office programs offered. In total, 117 students
are certified in Word Expert, 100 are certified in PowerPoint, 55 are certified
in Excel Expert, and 47 are certified in Access.
“I have their names all posted here on my wall,” Pacl said.
Result
Pacl said past students often return from college and convey they already know
everything expected by their collegiate technology courses. She said one
student actually began teaching a course when it was clear she knew more
than her professor.
In addition, Pacl said Office Specialist certification looks great on college
applications and resumes. Recently a local employer contacted Pacl to learn
more about the certification he noticed on an applicant’s resume. As
Pacl spoke with him and other employers in her community, she communicated
the value of Office Specialist certification. “They agree the certification
gives applicants a heads up over someone who doesn’t have it,” she
said.
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