RESERVE - Students enrolled in Louisiana high schools can dual enroll at Louisiana Technical College (LTC) Campuses. Students who dual enroll receive both high school elective credit and technical college credit at the same time. These students take LTC courses during their regular school day. West St. John High School students travel by bus from the school to the campus in the morning. They take two classes at LTC and then return to WSJHS for two classes in the afternoon. East St. John High School students attend classes at ESJHS in the morning and travel by bus to the LTC in the afternoon.

“I basically tell my welding students that they will be getting paid to get burned. They must learn how to control it,” LTC welding instructor, Jimmy Goodson, said. “I treat my high school students no differently from my adult students. I talk to them as young men.” Goodson prepares his students to sell themselves and their skills in potential future interviews. “I tell them, ‘There’s only one welding job left. Who’s going to get it?’ Work hard every day to achieve as many welding competencies as possible.”

Isabel Melancon, East St. John High School counselor over the Fine Arts, Industrial Techonology and Humanities pathway and the welding program, said, “Dual Enrollment helps our students prepare for a successful career. It also eases the transition between high school and college. Dual Enrollment gives 11th- and 12th-grade students the opportunity to earn college credit as well as high school credit toward their high school diplomas.”

WSJH students, Letrell Fiffie and Titus Barre, practice their Welding skills. Their instructor, Jimmy Goodson, says that they are treated no differently than the adult students in his classes.

The benefits of LTC dual enrollment to the student include the following:

• they receive both technical college credit and high school elective credit at the same time

• they obtain� skills for employment while in high school

• they earn credits toward their Certification/Diploma or Associate Degree in a shorter time by starting the program while still in high school

• they may transfer all dual enrollment credits to any LTC upon graduation

• they obtain a skill to enhance their future

• they obtain excellent resume credentials

• they engage in networking opportunities for future employment

In addition to the students who are dually enrolled and attend classes at the LTC campus, more than 225 students are dually enrolled at both high school campuses in courses taught by appropriately-certified high school teachers: The courses include principals of accounting, introduction to computers, nursing fundamentals, cooperative nursing assistance, and medical terminology.