The Growth of “We Lead” at Lawrence County High
Lawrence County Schools are always looking for ways to make sure our students are ready for the world after graduation. While we are incredibly proud of our long-standing programs in areas such as carpentry, ROTC, aviation, agriculture, heavy equipment, engineering, nursing, biomed, culinary, and business, we are constantly looking to expand the “toolbelt” our students carry into the workforce. In the past few years we have added fire science, pharmacy tech, and dental assistant as well. We are also excited to share an update on one of our newest technical pathways: We Lead Computer Science.
For a long time, we wanted to offer a high-level computer science related pathway at Lawrence County High School. However, finding a certified teacher was always the challenge because they are in such high demand. Last year, we finally found a solution by becoming one of only three districts in the entire state to launch the We Lead CS initiative. We Lead students log in daily from LCHS to a live virtual classroom where a certified computer science teacher provides real-time, face-to-face instruction and troubleshooting. This model gives our kids direct access to high-level technical training that isn’t available locally. We started with 11 interested LCHS students, and in just our second year, our enrollment has more than doubled to over 20 students!
Beyond “Just Coding”
A common worry today is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is replacing “coders” and other occupations related to computer science. While it’s true that AI can now write code, We Lead CS is designed to go deeper. Coding is only a small part of the program. The real focus is on teaching students how to design complex systems, solve human problems, and manage the very AI tools that others fear.
Through this virtual academy, our kids can earn up to 22 hours of college credit at no cost to them or their families, giving them a massive head start on a career that requires high-level thinking, not just typing code.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, specialized tech roles (like the ones introduced in We Lead) are among the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in the nation for the next decade. These “AI-resistant” careers require human judgment that machines simply don’t have:
- Information Security Analysts (Cybersecurity): Ranked in the top 10 for growth, these “digital police officers” hunt for hackers and create strategies to protect our data.
- Data Scientists: Also in the top 10, these professionals act as detectives, using logic to help businesses make smart, ethical decisions from massive amounts of information.
- Cloud Engineers: These experts build the “digital warehouses” where all our internet information lives. As the world moves online, the need for humans to build these systems is booming.
We are already seeing this pay off. This past summer, one of our LCHS students in the program landed a prestigious summer internship with Procter & Gamble. He worked entirely remotely from right here in Lawrence County, earning over $20 per hour while still in high school.
Most of these tech jobs are remote, with Kentucky full time salaries ranging from $50,000 to over $90,000. We are committed to finding options that help our kids get stable incomes while staying right here at home. We Lead CS is making that dream a reality for our students.
