The PPS or “Personal and Professional Skills” class started at NDA three years ago in the 2021-2022 school year. 

I’m currently in the second year of the PPS class. This three-semester class allows you to take a separate class in the second semester of your senior year, during which you can leave school early to work at your choice of internship. 

The first year entails a lot of guest speakers and field trips to allow you to explore job fields and find what interests you. 

In the second part, we focus on our career opportunities and get lined up with an internship. I started my apprenticeship as a pharmacy technician in the last part of my junior year and have been working since then.

I would recommend this class to all sophomores. It’s unique from other classes and caters to your interests. The teacher, Mr. Dory, is quite laid back while teaching you valuable life lessons. 

My other classmates choose to explore journalism, law, mechanics, real estate and nursing. 

While having a job on top of school can be difficult, there are many benefits. Most teenagers will get a summer job or work in fast food/service, but the PPS class allows you to get real work experience in a professional field, and they usually pay well.