45-year-old R.G. Drage Career Center enjoying record student enrollment

MASSILLON — With around 900 students this year, the R.G. Drage Career Technical Center is seeing its largest enrollment since opening its doors in 1977.

Students are walking out of the school with jobs, apprenticeships, industry credentials and even associate degrees.

It's also earning praise from state officials as a leading career technical offering in the state.

"It's amazing," Drage Director Dan Muphy said. "The opportunities in career tech over the years continue to blossom for our kids and families."

Murphy credits the vocational school's success to its staff and its school and community partners.

"What makes it great is the support from the community, business partnerships, the boards of education (from six feeder schools). That's what keeps our program strong," he said. "And, of course, our staff."

Superintendent Joe Chaddock echoed Murphy's praise.

"They are on the cutting edge as far as industry and industry credentials," he said. "Our relationships with our employers are beneficial to our students to know what skills they are looking for, but ultimately it comes down to a phenomenal staff. It's a great culture and climate and the teacher leadership is unbelievable. It's quite the program."

100% of Drage students passing end-of-course exams

The Ohio Department of Education praised Drage as one of only two schools in the state with a 100% passage rate on WebXam, the end-of-course testing needed for graduation. Drage has been in the Top 3 since 2017, Murphy said.

"With our 20 programs we want to make sure that our kids are getting industry credentials and doing well on their technical assessments," he said. "And that is something that our staff has really excelled at."

Stark County is unique with three different types of vocational training programs, Murphy said.

Besides the joint vocational school at Drage, some districts have a comprehensive program like Washington High School in Massillon, which offers career tech opportunities on its campus.

Others have formed compacts, bringing together a number of schools to offer a variety of programs at locations such as South Stark Career Academy, a partnership between Canton South, East Canton, Perry and Sandy Valley high schools.

Drage features programs not offered elsewhere in the county, Murphy said, such as welding and heavy truck diesel. When spots are available, they allow students from outside the vocational school's members to participate.

Building a bright future for Stark students

Drage's 900 students hail from its member schools: Brown Local, Fairless Local, Louisville City, Minerva Local, Northwest Local, and Tuslaw Local.

Murphy credits the rise to a number of things, including the greater value placed on career tech education.

When students attend Drage and have a great experience, Murphy said, they are able to build off that success and attract more students.

Guidance counselors and others at the home schools work to ensure success, he said.

The school has also done a better job at getting kids thinking about a career tech program at a younger age. Officials developed a coloring book for elementary students to start looking at different jobs.

Classroom visits from Drage officials begin in seventh and eighth grade at the feeder schools. They also developed a guide to help parents decide if a career tech program is right for their child.

"Regardless of your long-term goal, you are going to have some takeaways (from the program) be it industry credentials or college credits. If you are going into a different field of study, you can get a well-paying job while studying. A lot of students earn college credits or get an apprenticeship. It's a win-win for all."

Murphy credits the early college partnership with the University of Akron. Drage students can earn an associate degree through their program at no cost without having to leave the building.

About 25 students enter the program each year. Not all leave with an associate degree but they do earn college credits, setting them up for future education.

"It's great that our students have a choice," Chaddock said. "In the traditional (school) setting, you are locked in. These kids are choosing what career they want and are obtaining credentials and training."

Recently, two Drage students were brought on as youth apprentices in lithography by Sonoco Metal Packaging. Sonoco is a worldwide company manufacturing all types of packaging products with plants in on Warner Road in Canton and on Brookline Road in Green.

According to Sonoco officials, the program is the first of its kind at Sonoco and in the area. The apprenticeship program has been approved by the Department of Labor.

Jesse Joiner and Stevie Russell, both students at Minerva High, are in Drage's graphic design program. As apprentices, their progress will be tracked until successful completion.

A ceremony was held late last month at the school where they signed their official paperwork as their families looked on.

"We have some unbelievable seniors working now while they are in school," Murphy said. "The opportunities right now are unreal. We get calls weekly (from businesses) needing our students, and that is a good thing."

Building a better tomorrow at R.G. Drage

While there are no plans to start new programs at the school, officials continue to watch trends. An advisory board for each program meets twice a year to evaluate needs.

"Whether it be technology upgrades in the field, new practices or new codes (they must follow), it really makes a big difference by coming in and working with our instructors and kids," he said. "Some of our students become employees of the companies involved in the advisory boards."

The school has benefited from its partnerships with groups like Strengthening Stark and the Stark County Manufacturers' group made up of business owners, Chaddock said.

The most in-demand fields in Northeast Ohio during the next decade are manufacturing, IT and health care, he said.

"These are the groups that we need to hear from," he said. "How can we work together and get what is needed? It doesn't do us any good if we are not producing students that are marketable. We want them to hit the ground running, make great money and be able to support a family."

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com

On Twitter: @aknappINDE

This article originally appeared on The Independent: R.G. Drage in Massillon sees boom in enrollment, sees student success