MVROP Trains Students In Career Proficiency

MVROP stands for Mission Valley Regional Occupational Program. It was established Sept. 4, 1969, in Fremont, California. The program's mission statement clearly highlights the program’s purpose: "MVROP has been instrumental in preparing students for successful business, medical, and technical careers." This program gives students a unique opportunity to explore and prepare for careers in a wide variety of fields. The length of each course varies, says David Reska. “Anatomy, culinary arts and video courses are one term but everything else is a full year.” ROP classes are career based courses available for high school students and local adults. They let you try out jobs in areas like healthcare, computers, business, music, sports, and more. hey let you try out jobs in areas like healthcare, computers, business, music, sports, and more. Instead of just reading from a book, you get to learn by doing real activities. Some classes even let you earn certificates, which can help you in the future. Not all John F. Kennedy students can start an ROP class right away.

According to a JFK Titan counselor, Mr. Reska, some courses have age or grade-level requirements. "Digital video, yes, anatomy depending…sometimes we can get some ninth graders in there, it's a little more difficult,” Mr. Reska said. “All the other courses, no. There are some ROP classes that have age requirements just because the state law will dictate certain things. So you will have to be 16 to participate in a handful of different ROP courses.” There are some ROP classes that have age requirements just because the state law will dictate certain things. So you will have to be 16 to participate in a handful of different ROP courses.  There are some ROP classes that have age requirements just because the state law will dictate certain things. So you will have to be 16 to participate in a handful of different ROP courses. ”One of the best things about ROP classes is that you get to learn by doing, not just reading books. You can work on real projects, like using medical tools in health classes or building websites in tech classes. This helps you feel more confident and ready for a real job. Some classes also give you certificates or college credit, which can help you after high school in college.  

Student spotlight: Xavier Cruz Finds His Path Through Sports Therapy. Xavier Cruz, a senior titan at JFK, said the Sports Therapy class has helped him understand more about his job as a lifeguard and what he wants to do in the future.“Sports Therapy has been really helpful for me this year because since I'm a lifeguard, it’s been giving me a better understanding of what I'm supposed to do,” Cruz said. “It also gives me the confidence to keep going.”     

Cruz said his goal is to become a lead lifeguard, someone who helps train and teach new lifeguards.In class, he's learning about personal training and athletic training, which he says connects to what lifeguards need to know.  “If you get a B or higher, you can even get an internship,” he said. “You could be a personal trainer assistant, work in a gym, or help a physical therapist. That’s really cool.” Before taking Sports Therapy, Cruz tried an ROP engineering class but said it wasn’t the right fit.  “It had too much math, and it didn't go with my major, which is kinesiology,” he said, "I asked teachers at ROP fairs what class was best for kinesiology, and they all said Sports Therapy. They were right.”

For students like Cruz, ROP classes offer more than just a grade– they provide a head start on real careers. With hands-on learning, internships, and college credits opportunities, MVROP helps students gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed. Students interested in joining an ROP class can talk to their counselor to learn more.

Photo by Khanh Do | MVROP opens up doors for numerous students in distrcit.