COAL GROVE -Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic and Š RAM?

The computer certification program at Dawson-Bryant High School is growing in size, which might mean a brighter future in the job market for its students.

Juniors and seniors have the option to take the several classes that will prepare them for an increasingly tech savvy world.

The program has been in place for around seven years, but is really beginning to find its stride, said informational technology teacher Aaron Stewart.

&#8220Our kids have worked really hard, they've really taken to it,” Stewart said. &#8220The success they've had has been immense, they really took the ball and ran with it.”

Last year alone, the program certified 12 students in networking and 20 students in A+ (computer hardware and software repair). This year, Stewart hopes to certify around 40 students in the valuable training.

&#8220We pay for all this. I don't know anyone that does that,” Stewart said. &#8220We're not getting any special funds or anything coming in to that, it's just the commitment that our administration has made to this.”

Nichole Murphy, a Dawson-Bryant senior, said that she'll be putting her education to good use in the tech market.

&#8220It helps us out a lot, if we want jobs we already have the certifications,” Murphy said. &#8220We can actually use this whenever we graduate. We've learned how to do everything.”

Fellow senior Stacy Bond said that the classes have helped her grow from a computer novice to a whiz.

&#8220I didn't even know how to plug in a computer,” Bond said. &#8220In my work we use some computers, and it messes up sometimes and I had to fix it. So it kind of comes in handy when I'm at work. I have learned a lot in here. I don't know how I learned this much. This is probably the class I did the best in.”

Along with some word-of-mouth, Stewart said that it's that practicality of the class that has helped to make it so popular.

&#8220They're starting to realize ‘Hey, I can have a little more than the other guy that's graduating,'” Stewart said. &#8220Our school has really pushed that.”

In addition to the certification programs, Dawson-Bryant also offers classes in business technology, tech for teachers, digital art and web design.

Of course, technical education raises some questions. Most obviously, what will be the benefit of learning the ins and outs of a world of software and hardware that is always changing?

Stewart contends that not only do the basic concepts of technology not change much, but that an early technical education will help students deal with those changes.

&#8220I think it teaches adaptability,” Stewart said. &#8220I think if you have a good foundation in technology you can better adapt to that. How a computer works hasn't changed all that much.”

Also, the instructor said, a tech education can lay the groundwork of understanding that will be useful in countless fields.

&#8220I have a girl who knows when she graduates she's going to nursing school, that's fine because there are doctor's offices that use tablet PCs and are completely electronic. She's going to have a leg up on those people,” Stewart said.

&#8220There are guys who want to be electricians, and they'll already know the proper ways of running cables, the proper ways of crimping cables. They're going to encounter those things.”