By STACEY PLAISANCE / L’Observateur / November 30, 1998

EDGARD – Two East St. John High School teachers spent Monday of theirThanksgiving holiday at the parish courthouse job shadowing Judge Mary Hotard Becnel.

They will soon take their experience to the classrooms.

Betty Coleman Clement and Veronica S. Gordon followed Becnel throughnumerous trials Monday, carefully observing various court hearings and procedures. Job shadowing and interning are part of the nationwide Schoolto Career movement designed to educate high school students on their career options and show how they are to pursue those options after graduation. School to Career is being enforced locally at various areaschools, even at the elementary level.

“We can learn here in the courts and get the students more prepared for their career fields and what they may need in making that transition,” said Gordon, who teaches American history, honors civics and honors free enterprise. “It’s important that they know what to expect.”Students will also have the opportunity to job shadow at various institutions, including the courthouse and area businesses, said Clement, who teaches speech and communication. Some job shadow positions in thecourtroom include judge, lawyer, court reporter, bailiff and other security personnel.

“Sometimes students think they want to get into a certain career and then realize that it’s not what they thought it was,” Clement said. “We wantthem to be able to make informed, educated decisions in their career choices.”According to Bevery Harris, parish School to Career coordinator, the program is an initiative to bring changes in education with new approaches in teaching.

“Sometimes even though we tell students something in the classroom, they still don’t see how it’s applied,” Harris said. “This is a way for theteachers to show the students.”Wednesday, Dec. 2, five teachers will job shadow employees at the RiverParishes Travel Agency.

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