Cooperative Work Program

The Cooperative Work Program enables seniors who have taken vocational courses to go out into the work force during their last year of high school. The intention of the program is to help students gain work experience that will benefit them after they graduate. For many years the Co-Op program at DVHS has been coordinated by Patricia Warholic, who also teaches business courses. Ms. Warholic acts as the liaison between the students and the businesses involved in the program. The jobs that Ms. Warholic provides for the students vary from electrical maintenance to secretarial. The employers play an integral part in the program because they commit time to guiding and training the students. Ms. Warholic always insures that the students are being paid, are treated fairly, and are doing their jobs.

There are requirements for students in the program such as having a reliable means of transportation, which means having a car, and reporting to school before going to work. Most of the students spend the first half of the day at school, taking the necessary classes, and then go to their jobs. The students who have signed up for the program have the opportunity of extending their education in a particular area of study and acquiring further preparation for the real world.