Kit Becnel is helping prepare Lafayette students for the changing work
force. As director of the Academy of Information Technology at Carencro
High School, Becnel works to prepare students for continuing education
or the work force and builds relationships with the community."I
believe the work force landscape is changing," she said of the increase
in information technology. "Community and business leaders become
stakeholders in the educational process to train and educate tomorrow's
work force."
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Becnel has been a teacher for 24 years. She worked in the business
sector before becoming an educator. She said the academy, which is part
of the school system's Schools of Choice program, is her niche because
it combines technology and education and requires her to build bridges
throughout the community. She said those bridges are becoming stronger
each year for the 3-year-old academy of 149 students.
There are 75 incoming freshmen for fall 2007 and a waiting list.
Becnel said she has found places for nearly all of the junior students
that must have internships. Internships are a required course in the
academy. She said the community has embraced the internship effort and
the academy, which makes her job possible.Becnel said recognizing
Women's History Month along with mentoring women shows the next
generation of women the possibilities that exist for them in fields
that might have once been dominated by men.
"When I was in
college I could have gone into engineering and there was only one
female and so I chose not to," she said. "It (recognizing Women's
History Month) allows the younger generation to know that women can do
many things and we have the strength and confidence and knowledge to
get involved in those things."
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