Great Oaks provides education for career development

It’s one of the largest career and technical education districts in the United States. Its contributions through its graduates to economic development in southwest Ohio cannot be overstated.

With a territory spanning 2,200 square miles of southwest Ohio, Great Oaks Career Campuses serves students at four different campuses, including Live Oaks, Diamond Oaks, Laurel Oaks and Scarlet Oaks. It’s been providing career development for its students and adapting its curriculum to meet workforce needs since 1970—more than 52 years.

Today, Great Oaks enrolls approximately 3,000 high school students on its four campuses, and over 21,000 secondary and middle school students through Great Oaks satellite programs embedded in school districts throughout the region. In addition, there are over 13,000 adult students attending Great Oaks, training in a diverse array of fields.

While its impact on the regional economy is significant, the primary purpose of a career-technical school district like Great Oaks is to prepare students for success in whatever unique career path they choose. And that’s where Great Oaks has had the greatest impact.

“We have a responsibility to assist each one as they determine their chosen path and take steps leading to their destination,” says Harry Snyder, president and CEO of Great Oaks.

But you don’t have to take Snyder’s word for it. Just ask Autumn Koelling, a senior from West Clermont High School studying veterinary assisting at Live Oaks. In November of 2019, Koelling adopted a hamster from the Ohio Pet Sanctuary and decided to volunteer there in February of 2020.

“That’s when I realized how much I loved working with each of the animals,” says Koelling. “I was very worried at first that I couldn’t handle it, but quickly realized I could. In May of 2020 I got the opportunity to assist in surgery at the sanctuary and fell in love with the medical aspect of the field. I knew it was in my best interest to go to Live Oaks for animal science and get a jump-start on my career. Although working in the field is very demanding and stressful at times, saving animals is an amazing reward.

“My program not only taught me a lot of background in veterinary medicine itself but also helped me become confident in working in the field. Great Oaks gave me the opportunity to go to UC Blue Ash to take CCP (College Credit Plus) classes for my senior year. So, I am receiving a year’s worth of college for free.

“All my prerequires for the veterinary technician program at UC will be completed, allowing me to directly go into the program after graduating high school.”

Live Oaks also allowed Koelling to go on placement for some of her junior year, which allowed her to work while keeping up with her education and career goals.

At Live Oaks, Koelling remains active in student council and the school’s FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter. CTSO’s (Career Technical Student Organizations) like FFA enhance student learning through contextual instruction, leadership and personal development, applied learning and real-world application.

Koelling has already had some interesting experiences as a veterinary assistant including treating a lemur, camel and zebra as well as one particularly interesting experience with an emu. Koelling’s story is but one of the thousands of student success stories that come out of Great Oaks every year.