Students across Webster Parish have expanded access to career and technical education through specialized programs at J.E. Harper Pathways to Excellence, where high schoolers can earn industry credentials and college credit before graduation.
Superintendent Johnny Rowland said the Harper campus serves students from all four district high schools, offering pathways designed to prepare them for college, the workforce or both. Through hands-on instruction, partnerships with colleges and industry certifications, students gain real-world experience in high-demand fields.
“At J.E. Harper Pathways to Excellence, students from all four district high schools have access to high-quality Career and Technical Education programs designed to prepare them for both college and the workforce,” Rowland said. “Through hands-on training, industry partnerships, and dual enrollment opportunities, students gain real-world experience while earning valuable credentials.”
The campus currently offers three primary pathways: Certified Nursing Assistant, Culinary Arts, and Barbering.
In the Certified Nursing Assistant program, students participate in a dual enrollment partnership with Southern University at Shreveport. Participants complete classroom instruction and supervised clinical hours, preparing them to take the state certification exam administered by Prometric. Upon successful completion, students earn four college credit hours while qualifying to enter the health care workforce immediately after high school.
The Culinary Arts program provides professional training in food preparation, safety and hospitality. Students have opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials, including ServSafe Food Handler and ServSafe Manager certifications and National Restaurant Association ProStart I and II credentials. Dual enrollment credits are available through Bossier Parish Community College, allowing students to begin postsecondary coursework while still in high school.
The district’s culinary students have previously demonstrated their skills by preparing meals for school board members, faculty, and staff, earning 100% certification rates in key industry exams during the program’s early years.
The Barbering program, the newest addition at Harper, allows students to begin working toward the 1,500 hours required for licensure under the standards of the Louisiana State Board of Barber Examiners. Students develop technical skills in haircutting and grooming while also learning professional client services and business fundamentals, providing a pathway to entrepreneurship in the grooming industry.
The Harper programs operate under Louisiana’s Jump Start initiative, which emphasizes career and technical education by requiring students to earn industry-based credentials to graduate. Students typically complete core academic requirements in the ninth and 10th grades before selecting either the Jump Start TOPS Tech Pathway, which focuses on workforce credentials, or the TOPS University Pathway, which emphasizes academic coursework while allowing for select certifications.
Rowland has previously described the Harper facility as one of the district’s signature achievements, citing the support of the Webster Parish School Board and community partners in establishing and expanding the programs.
Through its CNA, culinary, and barbering pathways, J.E. Harper Pathways to Excellence continues to provide Webster Parish students with opportunities to graduate credentialed and prepared for careers, further education and long-term success.