Potomac students earn Microsoft certification, building credentials for college

Students at Potomac High School are jumping at the chance to earn Microsoft Office Specialist certification, thanks to the enthusiasm and encouragement of business education teacher Gale Klotsko. In only three years, Klotsko has improved her own personal credentials by earning additional Microsoft certifications, and her example has inspired more than 100 students to earn Office Specialist certification themselves. Plus, her students are gaining valuable computing skills and resume credentials that will help them succeed in college and in their future careers.

“In any job you do, you’ll encounter Microsoft Office,” says Joshua Porto, a Potomac senior who’s also an Office Specialist Master with certifications in Microsoft Word Expert, Excel Expert, PowerPoint, and Access. “My Master certification should look really good on my college applications.”

Klotsko teaches nearly 100 students in her Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Advanced CIS courses. The courses cover rudimentary computer history, hardware, and ethics before concentrating a quarter on specific software. As part of the curriculum, Klotsko also makes sure that her students are aware of how far these skills can take them. She helps students envision the real-world uses of their certifications, and talks to them about the benefits the skills may have on their college careers.

“I tell my students—and their parents at back-to-school night—not to turn this down,” says Klotsko. “They are earning hundreds of dollars worth of certifications at no cost to them, plus they can earn college credit. Knowing how to use the programs also helps them in their other courses.”

Best of all, Klotsko keeps it fun. She challenges her students to earn as many certifications as they can, and even offers a free lunch to any student who can beat her personal certification scores. She has already had to make good on that offer: During her first year, a student tied Klotsko’s PowerPoint exam score, and three other students have since beaten her score on the Word exam.

To date, 115 certifications have been awarded to Klotsko’s students, who walk away with knowledge that will serve them for years to come. Micah Hafich, a Potomac junior who is certified in both Word and Excel, says that he is positive that all CIS students will be able to use their certifications throughout their lives. As he noted, the certifications “will apply to a variety of careers, as well as look good on resumés and college applications. These skills are good for life.”

Source: Amy Lee Hamblin, "Microsoft Office Specialst Master Instructor's Example and Enthusiasm Inspires High School Students to Earn Valuable Office Specialist Certifications" -- Certiport, Inc., www.certiport.com

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