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Tracy Thornton Vanessa West and Coy Campbell are champing at the bit. The Butte Central seniors have just completed their last week of high school and are more than ready to graduate on
Sunday, alongside 16 classmates. Once he gets his diploma, Campbell doesn’t plan on wasting much time. He has a plan in place and has already applied for a heating, ventilation and air
conditioning apprenticeship. His long-term goal is to get a union job as a journeyman. “It’s what I want to do,” he said. Campbell, son of Greg and Britney Campbell, is not alone by joining
the workforce right after high school. The most recent nationwide data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that among recent high school graduates, 55.4% of men and 69.5% of
women were enrolled in college. It further stated that among recent high school graduates not enrolled in college, 66.4% were in the labor force. PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING… For the past two
years, West has worked part-time in the home health industry. “I liked it — meeting a lot of people and talking to the clients,” she said. The positive experience helped decide her future.
West, daughter of Juli and Benny West, will attend Helena College. where she will work toward a two-year associate’s degree in nursing. According to the American Nurses Association, there is
a high demand for nurses, with “opportunities available at all levels.” Campbell and West will miss Butte Central. Both feel they have benefited from attending the smaller school. “We’ve
made a lot of memories and a lot of friends,” said Campbell. “I am going to miss that, most definitely.” One memory Campbell would like to forget, but it remains fresh in his mind. This past
November, while attending Monogram, a formal dance at the Finlen Hotel, he decided to do a back flip. It ended badly as Campbell broke his collarbone. The party was quickly over for the
would-be dancer. “I was there a solid five minutes,” said Campbell with a smile, “and the rest of the night in the hospital.” Among West’s favorite memories is her senior government class.
“It was fun,” she said. West said her four years of high school taught her a lot — in terms of education and the importance of maintaining relationships with her peers and the BCHS staff. “I
am going to miss them and the support given to me,” she said. Although Campbell and West are looking forward to the future, both find the current instability in the U.S. and worldwide a
concern. For Campbell, his hope for the future also includes a more caring world. “I hope the world becomes a better place — sooner rather than later,” he said. West thinks reaching
adulthood can be scary. “There’s not a lot of compassion right now,” she said. “We need to reach out more and care for each other.” 0 Comments WANT TO SEE MORE LIKE THIS? Get our local
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