The College and Career Center is a new resource at CHS that aims to help students in their post-high-school plans. It is located across from the cafeteria or right next to the counseling offices. In the spirit of gaining more insight on the College and Career Center, we sat down with Mike Henderson to talk about what students need to know and what this means for them.

What is your title/position?
My title is school-to-career specialist

Can you describe what you do in this position?
Basically, what the position is is helping students with any… after high school plans that they have. Whether it be going to college, or going to the military, or going to work, or trade school, or whatever it is, so helping with that…Directing them how to do it, working with kids one-on-one how to do it. Offering different events, if you want to call them events, although this year is different because so far they are online. When you look at anything that they might be doing: they want to go to a trade school, so we’re going to try to have a trades fair this spring.

Have you enjoyed the transition from teacher to what you’re currently doing?
It’s nice. [I’ve] definitely enjoyed it because it’s a change… so you get to where you’re doing the same thing over, and over, and over, and it’s nice to have a change. It’s a lot more one-on-one with students. Doing it, do a little presentation to a class or whatever it might be.
I don’t think it’s difficult, the good thing is I’ve been here so long [that] I know almost all, unless there’s some new staff, [the staff]. It’s kind of easy to go to someone and be like ‘Hey, can you help me with this.’ I would say it’s a pretty easy transition that way.
There is a little bit of difficulty learning the job and what it is you’re doing.

What do you hope to accomplish in this position?
Helping people get information that they might not be aware of. We have a lot of students who need extra support, from all different backgrounds, and all different experiences, but everybody needs some sort of support. Whether that be a 4.0 kid vs. a non-4.0 kid, they need help, so I think the big thing is [helping students] and expanding information, helping people find it. Or even helping people complete stuff, so I guess it’s really just about trying to help people out as much as possible.

What subjects have you taught at CHS?
Social Studies. Government, A.P. Government mostly. Some history, some other things, but [I was] a Social Studies teacher.

Have you always taught at CHS?
I student taught here, I went to school here, so I’ve pretty much been here all my life. My first two years of teaching I was at David Douglas and then I came back here when a job [became] open. At David Douglas I was doing mostly Personal Finance and Careers and some other things. I wanted to be in Social Studies, that’s the big reason why I left there to come back here.

What have you been involved in around the school?
Not right now, but I did coach forever. Mostly basketball, for like 22 years, but I’ve done some football, some track and field.

How long have you been teaching at CHS?
I was in the classroom for 25 years

Mr. Henderson understands that it may be difficult to reach out for help and ask questions, especially when you don’t know him, but whether it be a big question or a small one, everyone at the he and the rest of the folks at the College and Career Center is willing to answer those questions to get you the information and resources that you need in order to succeed. So, please don’t hesitate to ever go in for whatever assistance you might need.