Brock named Region Career Specialist of the Year

The Career Specialist at Seneca Middle School has been named the Pendleton Region CTE Barbara James Career Specialist of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year. Tammy Brock has served as the Career Specialist at Seneca Middle School for six years and has taught 31 years in education. Brock provides career awareness, discovery, and development to students, faculty and parents at Seneca Middle School. “Tammy coordinates classroom visits with teachers to present her message of the need to graduate, discuss career clusters, conduct career research, teach soft skills, and conduct pre-registration. Tammy administers SCOIS and EXLPORE Career Assessments to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. She coordinates the eighth grade visit to Hamilton Career Center to expose students to the opportunities provided through their programs.  She also organizes Job Shadowing for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students and had over 400 students to successfully complete all requirements for Job Shadowing this year. Tammy works with the other Career Specialists in Oconee County to coordinate a countywide career fair experience with 50 presenters who represent all 16 career clusters. Tammy works with the middle and high school guidance counselors to coordinate IGP conferences with students, parents, and teachers. Tammy coordinates a Career Education program for the self-contained population at Seneca Middle. She discusses job opportunities in areas such as agriculture, construction, and retail. Tammy writes a monthly newsletter that is mailed to parents to inform them of the activities that their students are involved with as well as opportunities for the student outside of school. Tammy works diligently to provide extra opportunities for students by writing grants. She wrote a 21st Century After School Grant and directed that program for 4 years.  She worked with the at risk population, focusing primarily on academics but making connections to influence their decision to remain in school.  Tammy also wrote and directed a 3-year grant for a Summer Bridge Program that worked with 50 of the School District of Oconee County’s most at risk students.  The Summer Bridge Program was an 8-week program, which provided academic assistance, connections to the high school and a strong career emphasis through a partnership with Silver Crescent Foundation to introduce students to STEM concepts and to provide them the opportunity to tour local industries-hopefully convincing them of the need to graduate. Tammy is currently serving as Co-Chair for an effort to coordinate with Tri County Technical College to fast track students in the areas of Welding, Mechatronics, and Machine Tool Technology so that upon high school graduation, with TAP credit and dual credit classes, they would be one year or less away from a two-year degree. This should be available to students in the 2014-15 school year. Tammy has written proposals for funds through Clemson’s Center for Workforce Development and Duke Energy. The funding is intended to increase STEM education for K-12 grades. Her proposals provide students, beginning at the elementary level and continuing through high school, with a strong understanding of STEM related careers with the hope that a strong workforce base will be created for the local industries. Tammy’s sensitivity and concern for others shows in all she does to promote career and technology education.  If everyone had the passion for his or her work as Tammy does in teaching career awareness, promotion, and preparation, we would be moving giant mountains in education,” said Seneca Middle School Principal Al LeRoy.