Longmont High School students, mentors celebrate TrojanTECH
May 3—The inaugural year of Longmont High School's TrojanTECH program — one where students earn an associate degree from Front Range Community College — wrapped up on Thursday with the freshman class's third "Mentor Day."
The program's 31 students and their mentors spent the morning reflecting on the year's accomplishments, which included several students who achieved a 4.0 GPA. The Longmont Economic Development Partnership and the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County hosted the students at their Longmont offices.
"We've got a lot to celebrate with our very first TrojanTECH cohort," said Anne Atherton, Longmont High assistant principal and TrojanTECH coordinator.
TrojanTECH is Longmont High's version of the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program. Students take business courses through Front Range Community College, and they will earn an associate degree from FRCC upon graduation.
The mentors, who represent a variety of careers in Longmont, offer professional advice and emotional support to the students they're paired with. Previous Mentor Days featured a disc golf competition at Loomiller Park and a scavenger hunt at the Longmont Museum.
On Thursday, students brought their resumes to be critiqued. Mentors offered feedback on how students should structure the document and which skills to prioritize based on the job they're applying for, among other things.
"Seeing how the education process has really kind of changed to help students start at ninth grade and graduate with an associate degree is amazing," said TrojanTECH mentor Wes Parker. "It's rewarding as a mentor."
Parker's mentee, David Cornellio, learned tips for a successful interview from his mentor, which he hopes to put into practice.
"I've gotten a knowledge of businesses, how we run them and how to keep them running," Cornellio said of TrojanTECH.
Another TrojanTECH student, Evelyn Pomeroy, said she is interested in business ownership.
"I did end up learning stuff about business that I just didn't know before, which is exciting," Pomeroy said, reflecting on the program's first year.
The morning also included a tour of Scythe Robotics, a Longmont-based manufacturer of electric lawn mowers. Engineers showed students where the machines are assembled, and answered questions about Scythe's sustainability practices and business competitors.
Longmont High principal Jeff McMurry attended the Mentor Day to congratulate the TrojanTECH students on their academic achievements. McMurry highlighted the students who had the perfect GPAs.
"You guys are connected, involved and succeeding incredibly well," McMurry told students.
There are 27 incoming freshmen signed up to start TrojanTECH this fall out of a goal to recruit 32 students.
Brandon Shaffer, executive director of P-TECH for the St. Vrain Valley School District, thanked everyone on Thursday for their continued participation in the program.
"The mentors are still showing up, and the students are still having amazing learning experiences," Shaffer said. "The momentum is there."
