WHS introduced a new career and college readiness program called Xello this semester, to a mixed response.
Xello is a new online program designed to help students plan for careers after high school. Students who do Xello complete lessons that help them figure out what their plans after high school will look like, whether it be trade colleges, universities or other alternate routes. Students also complete career, personality and learning style assessments so they can better understand their interests, skills and strengths.
After completing the lessons and assessments, students can personalize their Xello student portfolios. These portfolios will include any careers and colleges the student shows interest in as well as their skills and abilities that will help achieve their goals.
Counselor Marilyn Workman said that an Individual Plan of Study is required by the state for students in grades 6-12 in order to provide more guidance in careers and vocations.
“Xello seems to be easier to navigate and enjoy than career cruising, thus the change was made by the company, not us,” Workman said.
While students recognize the need for a program that could potentially help students cultivate plans after high school, the implementation of the new program has been controversial. For some seniors who had already completed a majority of the previous program, Career Cruising, starting a new college readiness program seems redundant and a waste of time.
“I don’t understand why we’re taking away what little AB time that we have that could be used for homework or meetings when we’ve already done Career Cruising,” senior Sierra Quathamer said.
Career Cruising was a similar career and college readiness course used by WHS student body in the past, but the company chose to make it obsolete and transition to Xello.
Xello also offers resources such as scholarship information, costs of college and different majors that are offered at different colleges.
“There is a wealth of information all in one place which is awesome,” counselor Marilyn Workman said.
Along with Xello, WHS is continuing to have student led parent teacher conferences. Students this year are required to create a slideshow to present to their parents. These slideshows will showcase the students’ goals, academic strengths and weaknesses and their results from Xello.
Parent teacher conferences are October 29 and 30.
— Hannah Mumpower, @Hlmump01
The Charger 
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