If you venture behind Bloomington High School North across town, you’ll find Hoosier Hills Career Center. Five mornings a week, senior Bryce Carson boards a bus to Hoosier Hills along with approximately 30 other South students. They spend the morning engaging in interactive courses designed to prepare students for specialized careers in high demand. These classes, listed by the Indiana Department of Education, are part of the Career Pathway Initiative.

“Hoosier Hills is a vocational center that’s offered for surrounding Monroe County schools,” Carson said. He takes classes in the Health Science program, which prepares students for nursing careers. The center offers a variety of programs, including cosmetology, culinary arts, technology, and automotive. Through these classes, students gain valuable experience impossible to offer in a traditional classroom setting.

A major goal of the Hoosier Hills curriculum is to provide students with the tools they need to move forward after completing high school. Many Hoosier Hills students will graduate with college credits obtained at the center. Beginning in the fall, Carson will attend classes at Ivy Tech to apply and expand the skills he’s acquired through the Hoosier Hills program.