Options for elective classes are generally well known at Nixa High School but not everyone understands the options available at the Career and Opportunities Center classes.

   The COC building, located across from the Apex, was created for students who want a more hands-on apprach to learning. The COC offers to a variety of equipment, such as construction and welding tools, as well as agricultural supplies. 

   A day in the life of students under Agriculture and Woodworking teacher Tiffany Kauffman is constantly changing for her various classes.

   “They’re … currently working on state degrees, and proficiencies and other applications, for sophomores … the Missouri Agribusiness Academy, [for freshman], High Max,” Kauffman said. “We’re constantly working on different things, and I’ve got kids coming in to work on their [FFA] degree that have graduated in the past.” 

   The Agriculture class has a veterinary science contest on the horizon, and for the stutdents to practice their skills, they participate in a hands-on learning experience at the Springfield livestock auction.

   “A kid got to give actual vaccinations … [then] he actually got to brand,” Kauffman said. “It’s all about hands-on what we do out here a lot of times.”

   Welding and building trades teacher Kelly Fields has been working at NHS for more than 13 years. 

   “We do some fire pits, we work on some trailers,” Fields said. “We have some miscellaneous repair stuff from around the school stools, that type of thing. As far as projects at the time, we weld on little chip, some metal and stuff to learn the welding process.”

   The building trades class has helped reconstruct parts of NHS as well as junior high during their classes.

   “One year, we might be doing concrete,” Fields said. “Next year, we might be doing some kind of roofing … or building a shed or something. So everything changes and so there’s no repetitive thing.”

   Originally, Construction and Engineering teacher Scott Dunn got his degree in architecture and then ended up as a teacher after realizing that wasn’t what he wanted to do. 

   “We built an escape room like two years ago,” Dunn said. “It was a full-size 16-by-16 foot building with a roof, and inside, and a door, and some windows and a sound system.”

   Engineering classes can be a good experience for students to learn how to accept and work with mistakes.

   “What’s actually going to happen is you’re just going to fall on your face over and over again and it’s not going to be what you think it’s gonna be,” Dunn said. “And so it’s learning  …  how to find your problems, find solutions to … become friends with failure and learn to solve problems.”