Mr. Priest in his classroom. Photo cred: Mason Gover
Mason Gover, Staff Writer to The Powderhorn
Faculty and staff in Watauga County strive to build strong connections with students, ensuring that each student feels valued. Teachers and administration alike offer individualized support in order to reach students of all backgrounds. The special education department at the high school has long harbored outstanding teachers. One of these teachers who is the backbone of Watauga High School for over 4 years is Mr. James Priest.
Teachers like Priest are the driving force that contribute to Watauga High School’s reputation for excellence. He strives to give students hope and motivation, encouraging them to never give up on their dreams, regardless of what obstacles may stand in their way.
Priest has taught for a total of 24 years, not only at the Watauga High School, but also at Hardin Park and throughout Caldwell County, even extending his reach to Alaska. However, it wasn’t until his 14th year that he pursued a master's degree in Portland, Oregon, which led him to find his true calling: educating students with special needs.
“I got into teaching because I wanted to be a teacher, like the ones that I had who helped me,” said Priest. “After about 6 years, I was like, ‘Wow, I really like working with kids who need extra support, no matter whether their disability is autism, a learning disability, or, like me, ADHD.’”
Since making the switch, Priest has had the opportunity to work closely with Amanda Huff and April Wilkinson at the high school, providing students with the chance to work toward their aspirations. Through a variety of different job experiences, these teachers facilitate students’ transition into their post-secondary plans.
“A student of mine wanted to be a mechanic. He took several years of courses with Mr. Mortenson,” said Priest. “Opportunities at Watauga helped him get a paid internship at a place called Al Ray Tire and Auto, right here in town. He is now a full-time mechanic. That's awesome.”
With the help of members of programs like the OCS (Occupational Course of Study) and ECS (Extended Content Standards), Priest feels a tremendous amount of collaboration from other faculty as they help students navigate their futures.
“One of the most special things that I feel like we get done as special educators is when we can give kids confidence, show them that they can succeed, and also bring the parents into the involvement as a big part of the team. When they get to high school, it's not just about what we're doing in the classroom,” said Priest. “We're trying to get them ready for life after high school.”
This community for special education students wasn't always as robust as it is now. Since the end of COVID, almost all of the organizations they are working with today are new.
Watauga County actively seeks out these organizations that are willing to also help special education students through a program called Watauga Opportunities. This program helps bring students with disabilities into the workforce.
“Watauga Opportunities has two employees that are housed here. One of them is a job coach and he works with many different students,” said Priest. “If they have an IEP, he works on career planning, employability skills, and soft skills—things that can be taken to any job. Then there are possibly internships where they're learning hard skills specific to a job.”
As these students approach graduation, they will have the chance to practice various jobs, including volunteering at Wine To Water on Mondays and working at De La Cruz Farm in Deep Gap on Fridays, along with several other available job opportunities.
“Our kids need to have 600 work hours as part of their graduation requirement,” said Priest. “You might not think some of those students that you see in wheelchairs or those who struggle to communicate would be eligible to work after high school, but there are jobs all over and companies and organizations that want to hire people with disabilities.”
Watauga County is fortunate to have Watauga Opportunities available for kids with disabilities. Thanks to Watauga Opportunities and the work of OCS and ECS, Watauga High school has empowered students with special needs to become highly involved with their peers and the community. Their contributions ensure that the high school’s recycling program is well-managed, air purifiers are regularly added and maintained in classrooms, and the food pantry has seen significant growth.
“Watauga Opportunities is definitely a big partner with us. We couldn't do what we do in special education at the high school without Watauga Opportunities,” said Priest.
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