Cabrillo High School in Lompoc has again been recognized for its commitment to preparing students for life beyond high school, earning a Career Choices Bronze Medal from Academic Innovations.

The award recognizes schools that demonstrate excellence in college and career readiness, post-secondary planning, workforce preparation, and student success through implementation of the nationally recognized Career Choices curriculum and My10YearPlan.com platform, the school said.

The Career Choices Medal Program honors schools that help students develop meaningful plans for their futures while building the skills needed to succeed in college, careers and life, school officials said.

Cabrillo High has now earned a Career Choices medal in 11 of the past 12 years.

“We love recognizing hardworking and talented educators across the country, but the real winners are the students and their communities,” said Mindy Bingham, author of the Career Choices curriculum and CEO of Academic Innovations.

“The team at Cabrillo High School continues to create opportunities for students to explore careers, develop practical life skills, and build plans that will serve them well long after graduation,” Bingham said.

According to Career Choices teacher David Riley, some of the program’s most impactful lessons occur when students begin to understand the financial realities of adulthood.

Asked which part of the curriculum resonates most with students, Riley said, “I usually say budgeting. When I let them know how much work their parents have to put in and tell them to build a budget based on the average California salary, they usually have a realization of the world around them, which is awesome to see.”

Those moments often become valuable lessons in financial literacy and appreciation.

“I hope when they’re done with that chapter, they go home and thank their parents and realize how expensive everything is and how hard we all have to work,” Riley said.

Career exploration is also a key component of the program. Riley said students have shown increased interest in researching careers and learning about the educational pathways and training opportunities connected to their future goals.

“A lot of kids were more interested in doing a little bit of research on those careers,” he said. “This year, everybody wants to be a nurse. Other years it’s been chefs, CSI, or something else. Every year seems to have its own theme.”

The curriculum’s impact often extends beyond career exploration and academics. Riley regularly shares personal experiences with students to help them understand resilience, perseverance, and the importance of overcoming obstacles.

“I try to connect with them,” Riley said. “Often I’ll have kids come up to me after class and just say, ‘Thank you so much.'”

One parent recently described the effect those conversations had on her child.

“A parent contacted me and said, ‘You have no idea how your story has affected my child,'” Riley said. “Those are the moments that remind you why this work matters.”

The program also encourages entrepreneurial thinking. Riley described several students who have launched their own small businesses, including one former student whose passion for his family’s bakery led him to extraordinary success.

“That young man has now opened up four bakeries,” Riley said. “He bought a truck, purchased equipment from another bakery, and built something incredible because he loved what he was doing.”

For Riley, stories like that reinforce the importance of helping students connect classroom lessons to real-world opportunities.

“I love seeing kids become go-getters,” he said. “When they start thinking about money, careers, and what they want their future to look like, that’s when they really start to lock in.”