The State Board of Education approved new graduation pathway programs for the School City of Hammond and the Excel Center Gary that officials hope will be mimicked in districts across the state.

Hammond is launching a new, four-year Junior ROTC program at Hammond Central and Hammond Morton high schools aimed at providing students with citizenship and leadership skills.

“Right now, there’s a vacuum for students considering the military,” Hammond Superintendent Scott Miller told the state board during its Wednesday meeting in Indianapolis.

He called the new Military/JROTC Civic Leadership pathway a “robust” one that far exceeds guidelines.

State board member Byron Ernest said he believes it’s the first military-related career pathway in the state.

“I applaud you. … To my knowledge, you’re the first one that’s been created that’s now replicable. For schools with JROTC, you have someone who has created the wheel.”

Miller said the pathway was designed as a four-year plan for students interested in enlistment, who will benefit from learning the core values of respect, integrity, teamwork and leadership.

There are options, however, for students who don’t plan a military career. Credits they earn can still be transferred to a college.

As part of the program, students will complete a service learning or community service project each year; move up in rank each year; maintain a B average in JROTC; take multiple college courses and participate in military visits and experience career options.

When students complete the program, they’ll have earned 30 college credits and have the opportunity to earn an associate degree.

Hammond is working with Ivy Tech and ROTC programs at Indiana University Northwest and Valparaiso University.

Miller said the Hammond Central program typically enrolls about 200 students. He said a second instructor will be hired to begin the pathway program at Morton.

Meanwhile, the Excel Center Gary received unanimous approval for a short-term training program that offers an OSHA-approved forklift training certificate.

Trent Moore, director of Career and Technical Education at Goodwill Industries Michiana, told the state board the Excel Center forged a partnership with Ivy Tech and Catapult Indiana, a manufacturing and logistics training program.

The Excel Center Gary, at 4602 W. Ridge Road, is a high school program for adult learners over age 18.

He said students have the option of 80 hours of work experience at AllMyFy, a cosmetics company, or at Goodwill Industries.

He said students who finish the program will be guaranteed job interviews and earn an Ivy Tech credit.

Employers who agreed to interview students who complete the program include FlexNGate, Daifuku Wynwright, Albanese and Chicagoland Popcorn.

Moore estimated there will be about five people in the eight-week class.

“I applaud the leadership in these communities for creating innovative pathways that allow students to gain skills and hands-on experiences before graduation, thus giving them a leg up in their future education and career,” said state Secretary of Education Katie Jenner, who chairs the Board of Education.

The state board adopted local graduation pathways as an option for schools in 2017.

The Hammond JROTC program and the Excel Center pathway join four other active pathway programs in the state.

On Wednesday, the state board also approved a workforce-ready pathway for the Yorktown Community Schools.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.