Regional occupation center honors students with certificates

Filed: May 31, 2001

The Bakersfield Californian

Although many county students will be graduating during the next few weeks, students from the Kern High School District Regional Occupation Center will experience a different kind of ceremony Tuesday.

"We call it our certificate night instead of our graduation night," said Jerry Mullings, assistant principal.

Students will receive certificates of completion and certificates of competency for 17 programs. The programs cover a variety of topics including auto technology, nursing assistance and health occupations, Mullings said.

Most of the ceremonies will be at 6:30 p.m. in classrooms at the center, but the nursing assistance and health occupations ceremonies will be at the Kern Agriculture Pavilion at 3300 East Belle Terrace.

Mullings said the program consists primarily of high school juniors and seniors.

"We have students from all the high schools in the Kern High School District, including Arvin and Shafter," he said.

The students take their general education classes like English and math at the high schools and then take specialized courses at the center, Mullings said.

The program also includes a few adults, he said.