Chase Jacob
P-Tech Coordinator
Room Number: 200
Email: ctjacob@bellvillebrahmas.org

Meeting dates, times, and location still need to be confirmed with Mr. Jacob.

Bellville Collegiate P-TECH allows students to combine their high-school education with college-level coursework, career preparation, and work-based learning. Students may pursue pathways in Healthcare, Teaching, or Business/Entrepreneurship while working toward college credit, an associate degree, and industry-based certifications. Contact P-TECH Coordinator Chase Jacob for program information, student accomplishments, upcoming activities, and coverage opportunities.

Healthcare, Teaching, and Business/Entrepreneurship pathways
Students earning college credit while attending high school
Associate-degree progress and completion
Industry-based certifications and career credentials
Academic awards and student recognition
Students reaching important program milestones
College classes and advanced academic experiences
Work-based learning and hands-on career experiences
Job shadowing, internships, and workplace visits
Student projects, presentations, and demonstrations
Partnerships with Blinn College and local organizations
Guest speakers, mentors, and industry professionals
Recruitment and informational events for prospective students
Summer bridge programs and college-readiness activities
New courses, pathways, and partnership opportunities
Students overcoming the demands of college-level coursework
Graduating seniors and program-completion stories
How P-TECH prepares students for college and careers
Student, faculty, and program accomplishments
Former students continuing into college or the workforce

Covering the P-Tech Beat

Start Here

Introduce yourself to Mr. Jacob and explain that you are covering Bellville Collegiate P-TECH for the BVP Newsroom.
Learn the purpose of P-TECH and the differences among the Healthcare, Teaching, and Business/Entrepreneurship pathways.
Ask how Mr. Jacob prefers to be contacted and how far in advance interviews, photography, or video coverage should be arranged.
Request the current P-TECH calendar, including presentations, workplace visits, college activities, recruitment events, and recognition ceremonies.
Ask which students are enrolled in each pathway and which student information may be shared.
Learn which college courses, certifications, projects, and work-based learning experiences students may complete.
Ask how P-TECH works with Blinn College, MidCoast Medical Center–Bellville, and other community or industry partners.
Ask which activities reporters may attend and whether advance permission is required.
Find out how student accomplishments, certifications, awards, and program milestones will be communicated.
Check with Mr. Jacob regularly for developing stories and coverage opportunities.
Submit possible stories as pitches before beginning full coverage unless your teacher tells you otherwise.

Your Responsibilities

Check for P-TECH updates at least once each news cycle.
Maintain contact with Mr. Jacob and the appropriate pathway instructors.
Track college-credit milestones, certifications, awards, projects, presentations, workplace experiences, and program events.
Follow all three pathways: Healthcare, Teaching, and Business/Entrepreneurship.
Watch for students beginning college courses, completing difficult requirements, earning credentials, or reaching important milestones.
Look for stories about hands-on learning, career exploration, mentoring, leadership, and personal growth.
Track new partnerships, guest speakers, workplace visits, internships, and other work-based learning opportunities.
Pitch promising stories to the newsroom.
Arrange interviews, photography, and video coverage in advance.
Confirm course names, credentials, awards, partnerships, dates, and student accomplishments before publication.
Include student voices by asking what they experienced, learned, found difficult, and hope to do next.
Follow up after major events or milestones to document results and explain their significance.

Important

P-TECH is an academic and career program—not a club. Its strongest stories come from students earning college credit, developing professional skills, exploring careers, completing projects, receiving recognition, and moving closer to a degree or certification.

Clearly distinguish between a student who is enrolled in a course, working toward a credential, has completed a course, or has officially earned a degree or certification. Do not describe a goal as an accomplishment. Confirm all course completions, college credits, certifications, awards, and program milestones with Mr. Jacob before publication.

College grades, academic records, certification results, and other student information may be private. Do not photograph computer screens, grade reports, identification cards, medical-training records, or workplace documents without permission. Report only information that the student, parent, school, college, or partner organization has authorized for release.

Do not stop at “a student earned college credit.” Explain what the accomplishment means—what the student completed, what challenges were involved, what skills were developed, and how the experience moves the student toward college, a credential, or a future career.

Reporting Your P-Tech Stories

Possible Story Ideas

A student begins taking college-level courses while still in high school.
A student earns college credit or completes an important college course.
A student earns an industry-based certification.
A student reaches a major milestone toward an associate degree.
A student receives an academic award or program recognition.
Healthcare students participate in hands-on training or workplace learning.
Teaching students observe classrooms or develop instructional projects.
Business/Entrepreneurship students create a business plan, product, or presentation.
Students visit Blinn College, a workplace, or another partner organization.
An employer or professional speaks to students about a career field.
A student participates in job shadowing, mentoring, an internship, or another workplace experience.
Students complete a major project or presentation.
A student overcomes the demands of college-level coursework.
A student balances high school, college classes, activities, and personal responsibilities.
A new business, college, or community organization partners with P-TECH.
P-TECH introduces a new course, opportunity, or program feature.
Prospective students attend a recruitment or informational event.
Students participate in a summer bridge or college-readiness activity.
A senior prepares to complete P-TECH and continue into college or the workforce.
A former P-TECH student explains how the program affected life after graduation.

Signs There May Be A Story

Pay attention when:

A student completes a difficult college course.
A student earns college credit, a certification, or another credential.
A student reaches an important degree milestone.
Students begin a new hands-on project or workplace experience.
A class prepares for an important presentation or demonstration.
Students visit a college, hospital, school, business, or other workplace.
A professional, mentor, or guest speaker works with students.
A student receives an award or public recognition.
A student makes significant academic or professional growth.
A student applies classroom knowledge in a real-world setting.
A new partnership or work-based learning opportunity is announced.
A new P-TECH course or pathway opportunity becomes available.
Recruitment, enrollment, or informational activities begin.
Students prepare for an industry certification examination.
A student is accepted into an internship, mentoring program, or advanced opportunity.
A student overcomes a major academic or personal challenge.
Students begin making decisions about college, careers, or employment.
A graduating student completes the program or prepares for the next step.

Questions to Ask: The 5 W's and 1 H

You will not necessarily ask every question below. Select the questions that fit your story and ask follow-up questions whenever an answer is unclear or incomplete.

Who was involved?

Which students participated?
Which P-TECH pathway were they representing?
Who taught, supervised, or mentored the students?
Which college, business, healthcare, school, or community partners were involved?
Who earned the award, credit, certification, or recognition?
Who helped the student prepare?
Who was affected by the project or experience?

What happened?

What did the students complete, earn, create, or experience?
What college course, certification, project, or activity was involved?
What skills did the students learn or demonstrate?
What made the experience challenging?
What was the result?
What problems arose, and how were they addressed?
What did the student learn about the career field?
What does the accomplishment allow the student to do next?

When did it happen?

When did the course, project, visit, or experience take place?
When did preparation begin?
How long did the student work toward the accomplishment?
When was the award, credit, or certification officially earned?
When will the next stage begin?
When will students complete the course, pathway, credential, or degree?

Where did it happen?

Where did the class, project, presentation, or training occur?
Where did students complete the workplace experience?
Where were college courses taught?
Where will the student continue learning or working next?
Where can interested students find more information?

Why does it matter?

Why was this accomplishment important?
Why did the student choose this pathway?
Why is the course, certification, or college credit valuable?
Why was the partner organization involved?
Why was the experience different from an ordinary classroom assignment?
Why was the work challenging?
Why does this opportunity matter for the student’s future?
Why should other students know about the program?

How did it happen?

How did the student qualify or prepare for the opportunity?
How did the student complete the college-level work?
How were high-school, college, and career learning combined?
How did the partner organization contribute?
How did the student overcome difficulties?
How were the student’s skills evaluated?
How does the accomplishment count toward a degree, credential, or career goal?
How will the student use the experience in the future?

People You May Need to Interview

Depending on the story, consider interviewing:

P-TECH Coordinator Chase Jacob
The student or students directly involved
Healthcare P-TECH students
Teaching P-TECH students
Business/Entrepreneurship P-TECH students
The teacher or pathway instructor involved
A Blinn College instructor or representative
A workplace supervisor, mentor, or industry partner
A healthcare professional involved in student training
A classroom teacher working with Teaching pathway students
A business owner or professional mentoring students
A student who earned college credit or completed an important course
A student who earned a certification, credential, award, or recognition
A student completing a major project or presentation
A senior preparing to complete the program
A former P-TECH student when program outcomes are relevant
A parent when family perspective is important and permission has been obtained

Whenever possible, talk to the student who actually experienced the story. Mr. Jacob can provide official information and program context, but the student can explain the work involved, the challenges faced, the skills learned, and what the accomplishment means personally.

What You Need to Collect

Before writing or producing the story, collect:

Correctly spelled names of everyone involved
Each student’s grade level
The student’s P-TECH pathway
The official name of the course, project, event, award, or certification
Date, time, and location
The names and roles of participating instructors, mentors, and partner organizations
A clear description of what the student completed, earned, or experienced
Confirmation of whether the student is beginning, pursuing, completing, or has officially earned the accomplishment
The amount or type of college credit earned, when appropriate
The official name of any credential or industry-based certification
How the accomplishment relates to an associate degree or career goal
What preparation or coursework was required
What skills the student learned or demonstrated
What challenges the student faced and how they were overcome
At least one useful quote from a participating student
Comments from Mr. Jacob or the appropriate instructor
Comments from a college, workplace, or community partner when relevant
Useful photographs or video of the project, activity, presentation, or recognition
Names of everyone identifiable in photographs
Information about what happens next

Do not describe a student as having earned a credit, certification, credential, or degree until it has been officially confirmed. Clearly explain what was accomplished and why it matters.

Before You Leave

Ask yourself:

Do I have the correct spelling of every name?
Do I know each student’s grade level and P-TECH pathway?
Do I have the official name of the course, project, event, award, or certification?
Do I know exactly what the student completed, earned, or experienced?
Have I distinguished between working toward something and officially earning it?
Have the college credit, certification, award, or milestone been confirmed?
Do I know which instructors, mentors, or partner organizations were involved?
Can I explain what work and preparation were required?
Do I know what skills the student learned or demonstrated?
Can I explain why the accomplishment matters?
Did I talk to the student directly involved?
Did I get a strong quote—not merely “It was fun” or “I learned a lot”?
Did I speak with Mr. Jacob or the appropriate instructor?
Do I have permission to report the academic information included in my story?
Do I have useful photographs or video?
Did I avoid photographing private records, grades, or identifying documents?
Did I identify everyone shown in my photographs?
Do I know what happens next for the student or program?

The Bellville Herd

NEWSROOM

A Brahma Video Productions Student Newsroom