Students, faculty at FCHS use ‘shadowing’

January 08, 2019

SCHOOL-WIDE SHADOWING – Several businesses posted pictures like the one above thanking Fulton County High School for allowing students to come and job shadow with them on the Fulton County students’ first day back to school after Christmas break. Students engaged in activities, and did not just shadow, but were allowed to participate in hands on learning. Students were even hired for jobs. (Photo submitted)

Fulton County High School Principal Ellen Murphy took her entire student body, faculty and staff, approximately 165 students and 20 staff, and put them on the road to two states, seven communities and 43 businesses/industries to conduct an amazing Job Shadowing Work Based Learning project on their first day back to school in the new year, following Christmas break.

FRYSC Director Brandon Uzzell helped organized the event and Operations Director Julie Jackson saw that sack lunches were prepared for the students. Some businesses provided lunch for the students.
The Fulton County elementary and middle school principals provided teachers who allowed students to have teaching experiences in their classroom for real world hands on experiences in education and the Ag students visited a donkey farm and worked with the animals under the guidance of the AG teacher, Arianna Allen.
Assistant Superintendent PaTrice Chambers took three students who were interested in broadcasting to WPSD TV in Paducah.
Coach James Bridges and Coach Smith went with students who were interested in sports related fields to several sports related centers.
Mrs. Murphy and Mr. Uzzell fulfilled all the job shadowing requests. “It was a great deal of work, but Mrs. Murphy did an amazing job taking this idea and turning it into a reality. I spoke with another one of our Four Rivers schools and they want to duplicate this idea. Just what we want to see in our Four Rivers group,” said Dianne Owen, Director, Four Rivers Foundation Career Readiness Coordinator, Four Rivers Career Academy.

The NSFY Cohort II program partnered with the Fulton County Transit Authority to provide transportation for this event with faculty and staff following in vehicles meeting the business contacts, getting the students settled in, and providing support to the students throughout the day. “This was a huge scheduling event for the Fulton County Transit Authority, but they jumped right in and made it all work. Thank you Kenny Etherton and Joy,” said Owen.

From 32 students in health sciences at Baptist Hospital in Union City, Tenn., to 12 students at WK&T in IT in Mayfield, to local pharmacies, law enforcement agencies, fire, ambulance, welding, culinary, education, construction, agriculture, automotive, manufacturing, business, and broadcasting, students had wonderful experiences all day.