Kelsey Cook, a senior at the Delaware Area Career Center’s (DACC) Early Childhood Education Lab, (ECE) is making the most of her year. As the fall of 2021 approached, Cook and her classmates began work-based learning, an interactive opportunity to gain hands-on teaching experience one week while learning from ECE instructors in her classroom the next.
“One great thing about the DACC is the special education preschool next door. I’m able to work with my classmates whom I’ve spent two years with while getting to know the kids in a comfortable environment, and it’s great,” said Cook.
This year also garnered ECE students the chance to learn about careers in education beyond teaching, which proved highly beneficial for Cook. “I realized through this program that I don’t necessarily want to become a teacher, but a school administrator, which if not for this program, I would not have otherwise learned,” said Cook, emphasizing the DACC’s level of versatility with its students.
“There are 16 ECE students graduating this year and we are all doing different things in teaching. The flexibility we have here is unreal and unlike anything traditional school offers.
Story and video created and submitted by the Digital Design PR Intern Team: Caroline Chubb, Bella Fredritz, and Zane Soliday.