West Virginia Guideposts to Graduation/Job Exploration

This year, Mrs. Dolly Rexrode has taken on the responsibility of coordinating Pendleton County’s West Virginia Guidepost to Graduation Program throughout the county. The goal of the program is to improve graduation outcomes. Mrs. Dolly has been working with the students in her program by implementing a Work Exploration incentive. Mrs. Rexrode has partnered with local businesses and business owners to not only provide these students with the opportunity to gain work experience, but also local role models and a network of caring adults to support them. Mrs. Dolly shared in her testimonials that the program teaches students responsibility and the importance of being on time. She has noticed the students she works with have been very responsive to the hands-on learning and real-world experiences, in addition to noting growth and maturity in many of her students.

There have been anywhere between 12 and 14 students in the program who are working with the following local businesses:

Hott’s Ag Service 

Billy’s Auto Repair 

Faithful Friends Animal Clinic 

The Sheriff’s Office 

Pendleton County Courthouse 

Alt’s Welding 

Potomac Hardware (Small motor repair) 

Local elementary schools-for custodial work and assisting in kindergarten classrooms 

Tiny Tots Daycare 

Potomac Highlands Recreation Center 

Subway 

Each student has had their own unique experience, and while some students could not continue the program due to personal circumstances, Mrs. Dolly reflected on her experience working with her students reporting;

“This program teaches them responsibility and being on time. Work Exploration also is the incentive that some of them need to do well in school. Some of them just need that role model to look up to and know that someone cares.” 

Kindergarten Classroom

Destiny Romero goes to BES to help in Kindergarten. Her future plans are to work in Child Protective Services. Work Exploration gives her the experience to work with small children. It was easy to see that she was attracted to the students who were playing by themselves or having trouble learning. The students look forward to her visits. She usually helps them with sight words and practicing their readers. She is always on time and excited about going to the job site. 

Taylor Wimer works at Hott’s Ag Service. He wants to become a vet. After speaking with his mom about a job that he might like in our small town, dealing with animals, we came up with the feed mill because he can learn about feed and nutrition. He is a very good worker and is willing to do whatever is needed. He knows how to fill feed sacks and sew them shut. He is always excited to go to his work site.

Hott's Ag Service

Billy's Auto Shop

Andrew Mowery works at Billy’s Auto Repair. He does very well with hands-on learning. He is always on time and excited to go help Mr. Billy. They talk about motors the whole time Andrew is there. Their big job has been taking a transmission out of a car. Their plan is to fix it and put it back in during this program. Andrew has not missed one day of Work Exploration. He is willing to help anyone that needs help. He’s a very good worker.

Skyler Frame reported during her interest interview her dream job was to work at the Bowling Alley with Mrs. Shirley. She is always on time and greets everyone with a smile. She looks forward to going to her job. Skyler had to miss one day due to testing at the school and was disappointed. On the way to the job the following week she said, “I’m afraid to see what those windows look like.” Anytime we pull in she goes straight to tell everyone hi and gets her cleaning supplies. Ms. Shirley is always happy to see Skyler come and says what a good worker she is, she is the best window washer around.

Bowling Alley

Weld Shop

Hunter Roberts started going to Alt’s Welding and he loves it. His mom even bought him his own welding helmet. He reported his grandma was really happy to see his picture in the local paper when they did a story on Work Exploration. This incentive means a lot to him. He wants to go to Vo-Tech next year and participate in the welding class, which is very popular. With the help of Mrs. Ali Judy he was able to get in to that class next year. He is so excited!

Gracie Lough started working at Tiny Tots. The children really liked her and interacted with her during their playtime. After her experiences, she decided that she wanted to try something different so she went to Subway and it was a wonderful fit. She did so well that they offered her a paying job on her first day. Subway, managed by Sandra Whetzel, has been excellent at giving these students a chance to learn the different jobs. Gracie has really matured during the time we have worked together doing Work Exploration.

Subway1

Faithful Friends

Ashley Reuss is very comfortable working with animals and this allows her to be herself on the job site. Faithful Friends agreed to let her come work with animals and help clean. Ashley fed a baby goat that was there for a couple of months. Everyone was sad to see him go back to the field with his cousins. Ashley has learned how to help clean and do laundry. The animals love her. She is very hard working and will do whatever they need done.

Robert Hall is always happy to go with me to BES to help Ms. Connie clean the cafeteria by wiping tables and mopping after lunch. When that’s all done he helps lift the big bags of trash into the dumpster. He said he wants to work on getting muscles.

Custodial Work

Sheriff's Office

Ryland Copley has only been able to go to his job site a few times. His future plans are something in public safety so he goes to the Sheriff’s Office. Chad Bowers talked to him about being a sheriff and what all it takes to be one. He also gave him some information about different situations like the process of what happens when someone gets a DUI. Ryland also met with Kevin Puffenbarger, the magistrate to talk about the process that takes place after someone is arrested.

Nicholas Shifflett started out going to Alt’s Welding. Instead, we decided to try Potomac Hardware to learn to repair small motors. Here he met Mr. Gabe Keiter, who is wonderful working with the students. They tear chainsaws, etc. apart and fix what’s wrong, then they put them back together. It’s always exciting when they start right up. Nicholas is always excited to go to his job site. He is eager to help in any way he can, he is very mannerly.

Mr. Gabe has taken time out to reach out and check in on Nicholas’s school performance.

B&H Hardware

Daycare

Gordy Ditch works at Tiny Tots. It was a really big deal for him to just go to the job site and he did great and does anything he is asked to do. He is doing better each time we go. He helps clean up and interacts with the kids. The kids really enjoy seeing him come.

Celina Hall is learning life skills and was helping clean at the high school. Mrs. Dolly also takes her to the courthouse. Karen Puffenbarger came up with the idea of going through voting cards to cross-reference them with active voters. Celina is excited to go to the courthouse and says it sure beats washing windows. This has been a good incentive for her.

Courthouse