Posted 10/06/08

Sadi, Long and Cory showed the deep passion and enthusiasm for learning last week that I wish every high school student in America felt. They are students at Anoka-Hennepin’s STEP (Secondary Technical Education Program) – located on the campus of Anoka Technical College. Some of the classes are taught with high school and college students learning together. But these youngsters made it clear that who else was in the classroom was far less important than what and how they were learning. They also praised STEP’s faculty for, as Sadi explained, “Treating us like adults.”

Learning at STEP is, in brief, “hands-on.” Whether students are students are studying a possible career in nursing engineering, aviation, carpentry or welding – they are constantly applying what they are doing.

Anoka Hennepin Superintendent Roger Giroux is “proud of STEP’s faculty, and the range of skills and experience they bring to the program.” Many combine teaching and business or community experience. For example, Tom McKeon was a paramedic for fourteen years at North Memorial Hospital. Despite being a teacher for more than 20 years, McKeon has none of the bitterness than one sometimes hears from veterans. He told me that “teaching at STEP is so much fun. The students are like sponges.”

David Carlson, another STEP faculty member has concluded “students can handle much more rigor if they are engaged and focused.” Among other things, he helps students produce programs for STEP’s radio station - something that helps improve their research and writing skills.

Give Giroux, Anoka-Hennepin superintendent, credit for recognizing that suburban students need options, and that the conventional large suburban district high school will not meet needs of all students. “Early on, we were not sure how many students would attend. But given the opportunity to partner with Anoka Technical College, we wanted to give this a chance.”

The willingness to innovate has been rewarded – more than 700 students a day participate, either half or full day (students have the option to spend part of their day in their home high school and part at STEP, or spend all of their 11th and/or 12th grade years at STEP).

Ginny Karbowski, STEP’s founding director, notes that the students learn “much more about the details of a career. Sometime they find it’s what they want. Other times they decide that the job isn’t what they expected or wanted. Either way, we help them make more informed decisions.” Karbowski readily admits the program still is working out some things. A current focus priority is finding ways to help students in some of STEP’s programs to develop strong math skills they will need to pass Minnesota’s new, challenging math test that is required for graduation.

More information is available by calling 763 433-4000, or at www.anoka.k12.mn.us/step


Michelle Langenfeld, Associate Superintendent calls STEP “a great option for some students.” I agree. Perhaps Senior Cory Cameron says it best, describing the program as “a step away from high school and a step toward college.”