SLO County schools recognized for career education. Did yours make the cut?
Arroyo Grande and Nipomo high schools recently earned recognition for their efforts to prepare students for life after high school.
According to news releases from curriculum company Academic Innovations, both Arroyo Grande High School and Nipomo High School won a Career Choices Silver Medal for 2025.
Additionally, Arroyo Grande won for its second consecutive year.
The award honors schools that successfully ready students for college and careers, according to the curriculum company.
The SLO County schools — which are both in the Lucia Mar school district — use Academic Innovations’ career planning curriculum to help students move through their career technical education pathways and decide what paths they want to explore after high school.
AGHS’s career fair offerings, partnerships with local industries and dual enrollment offerings were all included as examples of the school’s dedication to career and life planning. Academic Innovations defined the SLO County school as a “model of what’s possible.”
“We’ve made great strides in turning this into a school-wide initiative,” AGHS instructor Josie Long said in the release. “What started as an elective is now foundational to every CTE pathway on campus. Freshmen are building personalized websites to track their goals, plans, and professional documents — then expanding on that every year through their chosen pathways. It’s creating a more intentional, connected experience.”
Long added that students have returned after graduating to say they’re still using the ten-year plans they developed while in high school.
“One former student shared that he’s now pursuing law school and chose community college first to stay on track with the plan he built freshman year,” Long said in the release. “That’s the kind of long-term impact we’re aiming for.”
Nipomo High School was recognized in the release for its “highly adaptive and student-centered approach” to career education.
“Our students produced really impressive work this year,” Nipomo instructor Jessica Leek said in the release. “They weren’t just going through the motions — they truly engaged with the curriculum, thought deeply about their goals, and came away with meaningful plans for their futures.”
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