Elementary school, middle school, high school, college? In a town like Verona that’s the plan for everyone, right? Whether you are going to be the first generation of your family to go to college or continuing on the tradition, a college degree is considered vital for most jobs now.

But what if college is not for you?  In a town like Verona, other options after high school are often overlooked.

What about going into construction, becoming an electrician, bartending, or being a plumber, a police officer, a mechanic or a cosmetologist? Many or all of these are jobs that require you to take classes but not a college degree.  

Often, Verona students and others from similar suburban towns never consider going into these careers because of the pressure they feel to get a college degree. But some Verona seniors will be bucking the trend.

Liam Blaney will be taking a gap year to explore other options and may choose to attend college the following year. Jim Cuddihy will be working as an intern on a farm in Connecticut for three months. Along with another group of interns he will be working on the property and creating curriculum for kids with dyslexia. He plans to begin college the following year to pursue a degree in teaching special education.

Anton Valentine, Matt Malloy, Nate Berman all have plans to go straight to work after high school. Anton is going into construction and Matt is entering the plumbing field. Dustin Nguyen is going to culinary school which is over a span of 10 months.

Jenna Nesto’s “love for doing hair and makeup since childhood” has led to her decision to attend Artistic Academy in the fall for cosmetology, for a year-long term. While Jenna admits having “doubts” when friends and family questioned her decision, her passion for cosmetology has made her confident in her decision.

College is financially burdening and without the help of parents, student loans can haunt a person long after they have graduated. You invest in an education for stability and security, but more often now students come out of college with debt and unable to find a job.

The fact is that the longer a person stays with a career the more their salary increases, whether or not they have a degree. By starting a career earlier and not going to college, these students can stay free and begin earning money sooner.