High school students have the opportunity to leave school, and attend Summit Technology Academy or Herndon for the first half the day or the second. If students are interested in the program they can apply the year before their program starts. 

     Students choose to attend Herndon and Summit Technology Academy to expand their knowledge on their interests. 

     “Well, I wasn’t always into cars, the car stuff got to me once we broke down in Arizona,” senior Isaac Simpson in the Herndon Auto-Tech program said. “We took a trip down there, the truck blew up. We took it down to a local mechanic to get fixed, and the local mechanic took me around the shop and I thought it was pretty interesting.” 

     Students also attend their programs to get a head start on college and their career. 

     “I chose to go into STA because it sounded interesting to attend and prepared me with multiple skills that would give me an upper hand in college and in my career,” senior Luke Taylor in Summit Technology Academy’s Engineering program said. 

     Some students believe they learn more in their programs outside of high school. 

     “I do feel like I learn more in Herndon, because that is one of the things I’m looking to do,” Simpson said. “It’s a trade, so I’m learning more real world stuff than I do here. This stuff here I’m going to forget once I graduate but the stuff at herndon I’ll carry on.” 

     This sentiment is not reciprocated by all students. 

     “I’m not sure that I learn more, it is a two hour class so that is how I would attribute the more knowledge, but other than that I wouldn’t say I learn more than any of my other more difficult classes,” senior Billy Bettis in Summit Technology Academy’s health sciences program said. 

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     Not only do students learn at Herndon and Summit Technology Academy, but they meet new people. 

     “I met quite a few new people from a bunch of different high schools,” Bettis said. “It’s really cool to have that different dynamic than here at Raytown.” 

     Not only do students meet students from other schools, but also experts in their fields. 

     “I have met so many people and created a lot of friendships there that allowed me to dive deeper into my community around me. It has also given me great opportunities to meet experts in my career field that gave me connections for help with finding a career after college,” Taylor said. 

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     Many students enjoy their programs. 

     “I enjoy my course at STA because I feel like it gives a lot of students a lot more opportunities and experience to get more specific information and studies in their possible future career,” Taylor said. “It also is based in a college-like environment that gives students a little bit of freedom. Most courses are very hands-on like my course is and pushes away from the traditional way that courses are taught.”

     The course work is a favorite. 

     “I really enjoy it, I get to do what I want basically in that class,” Simpson said. “Like, today I brought in my car to do an oil change. There are shop days so you can work on your own stuff if you get everything done. You learn a lot in that class.” 

     Summit Technology Academy and Herndon are favorites for students, and young students should look into joining one of them. 

     “I would highly recommend my class and any class at summit tech because it is very different than the environment here,” Bettis said.