Edison students lead double lives, learn valuable professional skills
When you’re asked what school you go to it’s an easy answer: Watkins Mill High School.
But for senior Neil Alban and sophomore Andy Miner, the answer is not as clear.
They come to school at WMHS in the morning but attend Thomas Edison High School of Technology in the afternoon, starting their future careers in auto body and architecture.
Miner and Alban go to Edison after third period here at WMHS, and they come into Edison after the 30-minute ride ready to learn. Miner is working to complete his second year of architecture classes while Alban takes his second year of auto body.
Edison offers many varieties of courses to take ranging from one-year to two-year programs such as construction classes, human and customer services classes, and automotive classes.
“You get to do what you like,” Miner said. “And [you] get to choose what program you want to [enroll in].” Miner is in his first year of architecture classes in a program of two years.
“You get 30 SSL hours every year you [attend a program],” Miner said. Some also classes give licences and college credit after completion and a passing grade.
Auto body is the highlight of Alban’s day. “It’s just a lot of fun interacting with other schools,” Alban said. Alban is currently in his second year of his two-year auto body program at Edison.”[I’ve been] learning more from the automotive trade [by taking auto body].”
While Alban attends both WMHS and Edison, he also plays football and is on the track team for discus and shotput. ”I’m always competing with my friends from other schools,” Alban said. But it’s not all competition with the friends he’s made at Edison. “Currently my friend [and I] … both have a side job … using our skills that we have learned [from Edison].”
“[I learn a lot] about how to fix dents, using a dent puller,” Alban said, “stuff I can use on everyday cars.”
Going to two schools is not as stressful as it sounds. “Normally they don’t even give [architecture classes] homework because some programs like mine don’t allow you to [get homework],” Miner said.
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