Recently, 46 students from Richmond Academy (Va.) visited three unique universities on a trip dubbed Horizons. “In their adulthood, the careers that our students today will encounter will be technically driven and more diverse than we can imagine,” says Nancy Melashenko, principal and Potomac’s associate for education. “We chose three unique universities for students to tour, to give them an idea of what is out there and what might best suit their needs as they look out to the new horizon of post-graduation from RA. This was a trip for all high school students—to engage secondary students in the relevance of their grades and their career goals.”
While students routinely visit Southern Adventist University (Chatanooga, Tenn.) and Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Mich.), administration decided to include three more, located in Florida, to help challenge students looking to their future. Students and staff toured the Adventist University of Health Sciences, which highlighted paramedical opportunities for those interested in a medical career journey; Florida Polytechnic University, which only offers STEM-related fields, encompasses degrees in robotics, data analytics and computer sciences; and Full Sail University, to give students a sense of how to communicate in and through different forms of media.
“A secondary benefit for the trip was the impact on our teachers,” shares Melashekno. “By sharing the experience, they saw how they can sharpen their ability and better prepare students for excelling in college. The response from students and staff was overwhelming positive and we plan to make the Horizons trip again next year.”
