Holmes Middle School unveils new college, career labs

Holmes Middle School officially opened its college and career-ready labs—the only middle school in Northern Kentucky with the learning opportunity.

The program, called Paxton/Patterson Labs, allows students to work hands-on in fields like sports medicine, design and marketing, child development, energy, power and more. The work-based units allow Holmes Middle School students the opportunity to explore their passions and consider their future careers before they get to high school.

“We want to make sure these young people are in career sectors they’ve never experienced before,” said Christy Rogers, a representative from Paxton/Patterson. “We want them to see ‘what am I good at?’ ‘What are my skills?’ ‘What are my interests and passions?'”

Rodgers said students would draw blood in an eighth-grade classroom, tape an ankle, build a bridge, or work on an engine. The items students are working with are authentic tools curated by Paxton/Patterson.

There are 16 different programs that Holmes selected for students to be a part of in the lab. Those include:

• Welding basics
• Home maintenance systems (electric and plumbing)
• Home maintenance fundamentals (drywall, tile, doorknobs)
• Energy and power (small engines)
• Environment and ecology
• Flight and drone technology
• Material processing (manufacturing)
• Structural engineering
• Robotics
• Video production
• Sports medicine
• Design and marketing
• Nursing
• Introduction to childhood development
• Emergency medical technician
• Veterinary medicine

“Students love being here. They love being in that lab,” said Covington Independent Schools Superintendent Alvin Garrison. “They love the hands-on learning. They were excited when they talked about what they wanted to be in life. They told me how these classes would help them, not only in high school but for college and their career. These students are already embracing the possibilities of their future and eagerly discussing dreams and ambitions.”

The district held a ribbon cutting for the new space on Nov. 15 and invited the community to see what students were doing.

Holmes Middle School Principal Lee Turner said that allowing the Paxton/Petterson lab in the school shows students the why behind learning the basics like math and science. It also shows students that there’s more than just the traditional way of learning.

“Now the kids can actually see it, be hands-on with it, and begin to think about their pathways of learning,” Turner said.

Adopt-A-Class CEO Sonya Fultz attended the ribbon cutting to encourage local businesses and leaders to get involved in the program. The program is another tool schools can use to expose their students to more career opportunities.

Adopt-A-Class will officially launch in Holmes Middle School in January. A team of colleagues from the business, non-profit, or another partner visits their designated classroom for an hour once a month.

“If we have 24 partners, every student here at Holmes Middle will be mentored every year so that they can explore and be ready for those high school options that await them right here at Holmes High School,” Fultz said.

The idea for the Paxton/Patterson lab was first presented to the Covington Board of Education in February. Holmes Middle School is only one of four schools in Kentucky that have this program.