Students, staff, and community partners came together to make the third annual Buncombe County Center for Career Innovation (BCCI) Showcase a success, giving eighth graders from across the county a firsthand look at the opportunities available through BCCI.
The Showcase welcomed middle school students for a day of interactive activities, student-led presentations, games, and career exploration. The event featured vision board activities, trivia games, outdoor challenges, and opportunities for prospective students to connect directly with BCCI students and local industry partners. Current BCCI students shared their experiences through personalized display boards highlighting their interests, career goals, and academic pathways.
“We did this to promote our school,” said second-year student Khloe. “We want people to have the opportunity to come to the school and do all the interesting things that we’re able to do.”
Chloe said BCCI has already helped her begin preparing for a future in nursing by allowing her to take college-level prerequisite courses through A-B Tech while still in high school.
Senior James shared that BCCI’s focus on career exploration has helped shape evolving interests in fields ranging from criminal justice to veterinary science.
“It shows the eighth graders the opportunities that we have,” James said. “Free college, that’s the main selling point.”
Science and social studies teacher Walden Corry said the Showcase is designed to help students see that BCCI offers multiple pathways to success, whether through skilled trades, health sciences, or traditional college transfer programs.
“We’re trying to spread the word about our school and promote the innovative school model that we have,” Walden said. “Students can come here and kind of forge their own path in any way they see fit.”
Walden emphasized that BCCI provides students with hands-on experiences, internships, job shadowing opportunities, and connections with community partners that help students explore careers before graduation.
BCCI staff also thanked the many community partners who helped support the event and provide real-world career experiences for students throughout the year.
