“Kids are starting to buzz. Wow!” says vice principal Jack Stafford of South Lake Tahoe High School http://www.southtahoehigh.net/. The community has just passed a $45 million bond and Wow is right. Between bond money and state school construction funds, the school will build two new building for Career/Tech programs. Ground breaking for both buildings will be after the snow thaws so they are looking at May.

Here’s a high school to go to if you’re looking for training in Media Arts, Culinary, Auto, Wood, Computer Assisted Drafting or an interest in Dental Hygiene or a plan to be a dentist. These days since less than 35% of California students completing a four-year college program, these kinds of programs are a leg up on a career kids can choose, enjoy, and plan a lifetime in.

But Career/Tech is only part of the program at the high school. They have nine advanced placement classes and a very large AVID population. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and is a system that helps fourth-twelfth graders get ready for a four-year college program. Many times students in an AVID program are the first in their families to go to college.

Stafford credits their superintendent, Jim Tarwater, and principal, Ivone Larson, for the vision to get their school headed in this direction. He also says the teachers know they need more training to keep up with all of these new plans and they’re asking for it. “We’re ambitious,” Stafford say, “but if you’re not ambitious you’re not going to get anywhere at all.”

Sounds like a place to be and the lake added to making this a worthwhile visit.