Alongside the multiple advanced courses offered, WKHS has a variety of more personalized, out of school course options. These courses all focus on specific career fields that students can delve deeper into. These courses are offered through the Delaware Area Career Center, or DACC.
DACC is a private school that makes deals with high schools and colleges alike to give students more refined opportunities. Sarah Schnell, a counselor at WKHS, explained how students can apply to the specialty school. “Every sophomore will hear a presentation about DACC,” she explained, “and learn the deep dive into what it’s all about.”
Schnell explains further, saying that once a student applies in sophomore year, they would actually begin classes in their junior year. “It’s typically a two year program,” she went on to say, “and you get to kind of pick where you want to focus in. So there’s a digital design program. There’s an early childhood education program. There’s like medical type programs [and other things].”
“Typically,” she went on, “[the days are] three to three and a half hours in a lab where you’re doing hands on and all that kind of stuff. And then the rest of your day is the graduation requirements that you need for high school.”
Schnell also explained that the DACC classes aren’t a full commitment, and students can still go to Kilbourne for half of every day if they want. Many students choose this path, like juniors Lukas Rider and Josiah Thorn. Both applied for DACC in their sophomore year, and are now a semester into their classes.
Thorne, who takes programming classes at DACC, explained that “[students]have a lot of interaction with [their] teachers. It’s more than usual.”
Rider, who takes digital design, agreed with Thorn, saying how much he appreciated how open the teachers are. “[also] it’s easier to get along with people especially because now you’re with people that share certain interests.”
The pair also talked about how WKHS elective courses and DACC differentiate from each other. “I think electives that Kilbourne are like less commitment to join,” Rider said, “Especially because I do see [DACC classes] looking more towards career paths, but at Kilbourne they’re looking for like, just classes you can take.”
While DACC provides ample unique opportunities for WKHS students, many remain apprehensive about taking that plunge into the program. While not a fit for everyone, Schnell says that, “If you start to realize maybe hands on classes are more of a fit for you then [you should maybe] consider DACC as an option.”
Thorne has his own way of encouraging people to go to DACC. “Just do it.”
