For the tenth consecutive year, Lathrop High School has earned recognition from Academic Innovations for its commitment to preparing students for life after high school, receiving the prestigious Career Choices Silver Medal.

The award recognizes schools that demonstrate excellence in college and career readiness, postsecondary planning, workforce preparation, and student success through implementation of the nationally recognized Career Choices curriculum and My10YearPlan.com platform.

A decade of consecutive recognition places Lathrop among a select group of schools nationwide that have consistently prioritized helping students connect their education to meaningful career and life goals.

"It’s always a joy to spotlight educators who are making a difference, but the biggest winners are the students and the communities they’ll go on to lead," said Mindy Bingham, author of the Career Choices curriculum and CEO of Academic Innovations. "The team at Lathrop High has demonstrated a long-term commitment to helping students build plans, develop confidence, and prepare for the opportunities and challenges that await them after graduation."

Lathrop's Career Choices program continues to evolve while maintaining a focus on making career and life planning accessible for every student. This year, teachers worked collaboratively across multiple course sections, including classes serving students with diverse learning needs, demonstrating the curriculum's flexibility and broad impact.

"It has been a year of change," said Laura Freret, Career Choices teacher and program coordinator at Lathrop High School.

"But the curriculum lends itself really well to differentiation. The concepts are there, and it's a nice, easy climb up the staircase."

The program combines career exploration, academic planning, resume development, financial literacy, and goal setting into a practical experience that students can continue using throughout high school and beyond.

One of the program's most valuable tools is My10YearPlan.com, which allows students to build and maintain digital portfolios that include resumes, career research, academic plans, accomplishments, and personal reflections.

"We have this incredible tool, and we're using it well at the freshman level," Freret said. "Students create four-year plans that lead them toward their career goals, and counselors have access to that information all the time."

The value of those portfolios often becomes apparent years later.

"I have students who come back and tell me saying, 'I had to do a resume, and I remembered that you had me put it in the portfolio so I could go find it,'" Freret said.

Rather than viewing assignments as one-time classroom activities, Freret encourages students to see their portfolios as living resources they can continue to build upon throughout their educational and professional journeys.

"This can be that warehouse for all of those treasures that you might need when you're setting up applications or portfolios," she said. "It's something they can continue using long after they leave my class."

Lathrop also emphasizes authentic experiences that help students develop professional skills and build community connections. Each year, local business leaders and professionals volunteer to conduct mock interviews, giving students the opportunity to practice communication skills and receive feedback from individuals outside the school setting.

"I push really hard that all of my interviewers are off-campus interviewers," Freret said. "I've had students interview with someone and then later interview with that same person for a job and get hired. That's the networking piece that makes this so valuable."

Those experiences help students see the connection between classroom learning and future opportunities while building confidence in their ability to navigate the professional world.