School board recognizes Carver hospitality students
During the school board meeting on Tuesday, March 28, students enrolled in Carver’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism were recognized for their academic achievement and work in the community.
Photo by Tevin Stinson
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
When principal Travis Taylor arrived at Carver High School in 2014, the school’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT) was nothing to brag about.
With only a handful of students enrolled and even fewer incoming students showing interest in the program, many believed the program had run its course.
“I think the program only had about 27 students enrolled when I first got here. You could say it was on life support,” Taylor said.
Fast forward to 2017: The program once thought to be nearly dead is one of the most popular programs at the school. According to Taylor, the program designed to teach life lessons in areas outside the classroom and expose students to a variety of opportunities and career paths is currently full, and has a waiting list of 75 students.
Along with building a strong foundation in core courses like social studies and language arts, AOHT also prepares students for life after high school. Each student enrolled in the program will also have the opportunity to receive paid internships.
During the school board meeting on Tuesday, students from Carver’s AOHT were recognized for the achievements in the classroom and in the community. While turning the program around at their school, the students have also hosted several community events, including a 2K run or walk, and a Christmas celebration. The academy has also partnered with a number of local businesses, including Allegacy, who is planning to bring a credit union to the school that will be run by students.
Students honored during the school board meeting were: Jamilah Muhammad, Mitzy Pastrana, Crezona Reynolds, Jeremy Shorter, Adreieanna Thacker, Jakyia Vance, Charity Wardaw and Richard Windsor.
“It makes me feel good that Carver as a whole is being recognized for its high academic achievement,” Carver AOHT Program coordinator Dewayne Tillman said. “Our students take great pride in their studies, and they want to be known as the school who is strong academically.”
