At Greenon Local Schools, a new program through a partnership with the Greater Springfield Partnership is helping students discover their strengths, explore career possibilities, and begin building a path toward their futures. Greenon is excited to welcome Paul Bechtel as the district's Career Navigator, a new resource dedicated to helping students become college- and career-ready.
Bechtel brings 32 years of education experience, including a teaching career at Springfield City Schools as a middle school teacher. Now retired from the classroom, he is beginning his first year as a Career Navigator, bringing his passion for helping young people into a new role.
Education and career planning are also familiar topics in the Bechtel household. His wife is a guidance counselor at Graham Local Schools, and the couple has two children, one attending college and the other serving in the military.
The Career Navigator program has a simple goal: helping students recognize their potential and discover opportunities they may not have considered. Bechtel describes the program through three key ideas: giving students opportunities to see possibilities, connecting them to careers, and helping them discover careers they may not have considered.
One tool supporting this work is YouScience Brightpath, a career exploration platform that helps students identify their natural aptitudes, interests, and strengths. Through a series of assessments, students gain insight into potential career pathways that align with their unique abilities.
Unlike traditional career interest surveys, YouScience helps students discover what they may naturally excel at, including strengths they might not have recognized in themselves.
Once students complete the assessment, Bechtel helps them understand their results and explore how those strengths might translate into future opportunities. Students can learn about career pathways, educational requirements, college options, military service, and workforce opportunities.
Students will begin their career exploration journey in seventh and ninth grades by completing the YouScience assessment, reviewing their results, and meeting with Bechtel to learn the opportunities available through the Career Navigator program. In eighth and tenth grades, students will build on that foundation, collaborating with Bechtel to explore their strengths and interests in greater depth and participate in more advanced career exploration activities and real-world learning opportunities.
This approach is designed to make college and career readiness an ongoing process rather than a single conversation during a student's senior year. By introducing these opportunities early, students can begin connecting classroom learning to the skills and experiences they may need in the future.
Whether students plan to attend a four-year college, pursue technical training, enter the military, or move directly into the workforce, the Career Navigator program helps them make informed decisions about their next steps.
“I'm excited to work with Greenon students and help them discover their strengths, explore new opportunities, and reach their full potential,” said Bechtel. “Whether their future includes college, entering the workforce, or serving in the military, my goal is to help every student find a path that fits their interests, abilities, and goals.”
The partnership with Greater Springfield Partnership reflects Greenon's continued commitment to Student Success, one of the five pillars of the district's Strategic Plan. By helping students recognize their strengths and explore opportunities beyond the classroom, the district is working to ensure that every student graduates prepared for a successful future.
