At Warm Springs Middle School in Morgan County, career exploration begins long before students choose a career path. Several years ago, Principal Jamie Harris and his colleagues reimagined the school's traditional club program, replacing interest-based clubs with opportunities aligned to West Virginia's 14 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Clusters. Guided by staff members from across the school, these student-led clubs meet twice each month, allowing students to connect their interests, talents, and curiosities to future career possibilities.

This innovative approach has transformed club time into a meaningful experience in which students explore careers, develop leadership skills, and begin to build a sense of purpose as learners. By creating authentic opportunities for students to discover potential pathways and envision their futures, Warm Springs Middle School is helping students become more engaged, future-ready learners while strengthening connections between school, careers, and lifelong goals.

Hosts:

Dr. Kelly Massinople, Office of Academic Support, Coordinator

Matt Kelly, Office of Academic Support, Coordinator

Today’s Guest:

Principal Jamie Harris, Warm Springs Middle School (Morgan County)

The Instructional Spark Podcast is produced by the Office of Academic Support at the West Virginia Department of Education. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and follow the for more stories and strategies from West Virginia educators. Thank you for joining us as we explore ideas, strategies, and stories that spark meaningful learning for all students. We hope today's conversation leaves you inspired and equipped to bring new energy to your classroom, school, or district. For questions, feedback, topic suggestions, or to learn more about the podcast, please contact us at instructionalspark@k12.wv.us. Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and keep sparking success.