DODGE COUNTY, Ga. — Dodge County High School offers hands-on work experience for students.
It's for like Logan White and Kylie Sheffield, who want to become teachers.
"I get to develop a relationship with the students. I help them study for quizzes or sometimes grade papers, but it teaches me how I'll eventually be in a classroom," White said.
"You get first-hand experience of what they're like and what they do day-to-day and it really helps out for your future," Sheffield said.
They're both in the teaching career pathway in the high school's work-based program.
Coordinator Kathryn Lewis says it introduces them to the real world.
"It's helping them develop a work ethic that so many students don't realize until after they are out of high school and gone," Lewis said.
Coordinator Clint Sanders and Director Richard Gay say the program builds relationships between students of different age levels.
"Those kids look up to these high school kids and they're role models, and they see these good role models right there in front of them helping them. It just encourages those younger kids," Sanders said.
They're also learning how to teach during a pandemic.
"Not to mention the fact that we're in this situation that we're in where we're trying our best to practice social distancing, we're wearing our masks during the school day. So they're learning how to manage in a situation that none of us had to learn how to manage in. So I think it's going to make them even better at what they want to do," Gay said.
"It's been a great experience," Sheffield said.
"I can't wait to do it one day on my own and hopefully come back and teach in my home town," White said.
Dodge County's work-based program offers over 20 career pathways for juniors and seniors.
"I hope they all come back and one day they'll be teaching my grandchildren," Lewis said.