Veteran Moss Point Educator Veronica Winters Flourishes as Career Coach

MPHS students benefit from Winters' experience and school-community connections

When communities are involved in schools, the connections can create life-changing impacts for students and long-range benefits for workforce development. With those goals in mind, Veronica Winters is helping strengthen school-community connections every day as an AccelerateMS career coach at Moss Point High School.

“My job is navigating each student’s personal needs and helping them discover great job opportunities in their community that they can prepare for now,” Winters said. “Whether their goal is to enter the workforce directly or prepare for degreed positions, they have options here because of the partnerships we’re establishing with employers and colleges.”

Over the past year, AccelerateMS has placed 177 career coaches in 115 school districts across Mississippi. As the state’s lead workforce development office, AccelerateMS supports strategies to connect Mississippians with transformative, high-paying careers. 

Winters is responsible for providing a range of career-coaching services to approximately 500 students at MPHS, with a focus on 150 seniors who are in the process of mapping out their futures. Her job is making sure they have a plan in place after they graduate. 

An MPHS graduate herself, Winters also taught in the school district for nearly 35 years. Winters and her students benefit from the deep roots she established in her past career through productive relationships with school leaders, educators, families, and businesses and industries throughout Jackson County.

Another local advantage is the P3 model developed by Jackson County’s Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Foundation to help students discover their “passion,” linking them to a “purpose” that leads to a “paycheck.”

“Through P3, we’ve partnered with industries such as Ingalls Shipbuilding, Singing River Health System and Chevron to create specific career paths for students,” Winters said. “They can gain experience through internships and apprenticeships that can lead to full-time jobs after graduation, and many employers help pay for college if students want to pursue degrees.”

With assistance from career coaches, Chevron launched the Chevron Ambassador program in Jackson County, which allows Chevron employees to visit their former high schools to talk to students about operations, maintenance and engineering careers and the paths they followed into their current positions.

After more than a year in her role, Winters has discovered that there’s more to being a coach than career and college preparation. It also involves listening to students, understanding the challenges they’re dealing with in their personal lives, and gaining their trust and confidence.

“Many students need help balancing work and school,” she said. “They have part-time jobs at fast-food restaurants, and they’re not working because it’s a want—it’s a need. They have a full plate trying to finish school requirements and apply for scholarships and financial aid, all while working closing shifts. It’s not a healthy balance, and there may be better options out there to earn money while earning a diploma.”

She’s also observed that many students rule out college because of financial limitations. By making them aware of scholarships, financial aid, work-study programs and other opportunities, Winters helps students realize that two- and four-year degrees are not only attainable but affordable.

“One of my seniors was adamant about not going to college, and I knew that not being able to pay was a factor,” she said. “He has a great musical background, and I was able to convince him to use his musical talents to get a scholarship and help pay for college. Now he’s able to look at things differently and see more options for the future.

“Students come from different backgrounds and situations, and sometimes the smallest thing can make largest impact,” she said. “It’s been very rewarding to return to Moss Point High School and continue building relationships that will help our students go out into the world and be successful.”

AccelerateMS serves the people and businesses of Mississippi by developing and deploying workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers. By leveraging resources and partnering with organizations that hold complementary missions, AccelerateMS effectuates positive change, creating sustained individual, community and statewide economic prosperity.

Learn more at www.coaches.acceleratems.org/.