A YES High School student examines a forest health sample during a Forestry and Natural Resources Career Technical Education class. Through hands-on instruction and dual-enrollment coursework, students gain practical skills while preparing for careers in natural resources and environmental management. Photo courtesy of YES High School

YUBA COUNTY, CA (MPG) - "I originally didn't think I wanted to go to college." That's what one YES High School freshman said before touring Yuba College with his class. Today, he's one of dozens of Yuba County students earning real college credit, industry certifications and a real shot at careers that are desperately needed right here at home.

A great high school education is more than textbook learning. Rather, it creates opportunities for students to build connections with teachers and leaders in their fields of study while stepping outside the classroom and into the colleges and careers of their futures.

YES High School (YESHS), in the Yuba County foothills, is redefining what it means to prepare young people for the future. Through hands-on projects, partnerships with local agencies and a curriculum that places student and community needs at the center, students are preparing for roles that strengthen Yuba County and shape its workforce.

The YESHS curriculum combines college preparatory coursework with Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways. The Forestry and Natural Resources CTE pathway is integrated into all science classes at YESHS. Students tackle issues such as forest health, fuel load reduction and habitat restoration. The classes equip students with the scientific knowledge and technical skills needed to manage local forests.

Every YESHS science class is dual enrolled with a related Yuba College course. Students earn college credit while working toward the Yuba College Watershed Management Certificate, preparing them for critical jobs that often go unfilled because of a lack of trained professionals.

Mike Condon, who oversees YESHS dual enrollment in science, said, "Our dual-enrolled freshman ecology and sophomore water resources and conservation classes have opened students' eyes to careers right here in the Yuba County foothills, whether as business owners or with agencies such as CAL FIRE, Yuba Water Agency, Yuba Resource Conservation District, Yuba Watershed Protection and Fire Safe Council, the U.S. Forest Service and more."

The fact that much of Yuba County's forest management work is contracted to out-of-county companies inspired YESHS to integrate an Entrepreneurship CTE pathway into all English classes. Each year, students culminate their studies by participating in a business plan competition. The Entrepreneurship CTE pathway empowers students to launch and scale businesses, increasing the potential to keep contracts and revenue local.

Entrepreneurship teacher Jim Brandt said, "One of the greatest strengths of our Entrepreneurship CTE program is that students don't just learn about business, they practice it. Through hands-on projects and mentorship, students gain valuable skills in communication, problem-solving, leadership and innovation that will serve them in any career path they choose."

According to Ricky Satomi, forestry and natural resources adviser for the University of California Cooperative Extension, "Integration of a CTE certification in entrepreneurship not only provides students with localized technical understanding but also stimulates opportunities for local economic development."

Media Arts CTE teacher Jessica Koplos, a Disney-credited producer, structures her class as if it were a media production studio. Students build skills in Adobe Premiere Pro, work collaboratively on projects they select and participate in every stage of production. This year, students created "Combat to Classroom," a short documentary about teacher Jim Brandt, and submitted it to multiple film festivals.

Student filmmaker Jackson Milligan said, "The project that helped me learn the most was 'Combat to Classroom.' I got to try every role and help contribute to the success of the project."

Koplos said, "For the entire year, as a class, we explored the foundations of media arts through photography, video and audio production, storytelling, editing and creative problem-solving. More importantly, media arts students learned to express ideas, work in teams, think critically and build confidence in sharing their creative voices."

YESHS counselor Siobhan Searle ensures every student has access to college admissions guidance, financial aid assistance and career exploration. She arranges for students to meet with industry partners, visit college campuses and receive individualized support to plan their futures based on their interests and strengths.

Searle said, "As part of their College and Career Focus Advisory course, ninth-grade students go on at least three field trips to local college campuses. At Yuba College, our ninth-grade students toured four different departments and spoke with professors and college students about their areas of expertise and experiences."

YESHS was designed to meet the needs of students and the community. The school is WASC accredited and offers a program in which students complete their A-G college preparatory requirements, earn valuable certifications, receive college credit and graduate with an electronic portfolio of their work to include with job and college applications.

YESHS student Camden Lage said, "Being able to create my own business was an awesome experience. Learning the skills necessary to become an entrepreneur is important in this world."

Just as important, YESHS students graduate with connections to real people, educators who have a stake in their success and leaders in the industries where they will build their careers.

Through guest speakers, field trips and internships, students build relationships with local decision-makers in business, natural resources, media arts and public agencies. Graduates leave prepared to step directly into roles that strengthen Yuba County.

Louise Miller, principal/superintendent, said, "The success of YESHS is the result of robust and ongoing collaboration between school staff and the community. Our driving principles are, first, that students have authentic and meaningful experiences and, second, that they engage with the pressing land management and economic issues of Yuba County. With these principles aligned, both students and the community thrive."