Leviarrion Felix: From High School to an IT Career
Leviarrion Felix, will graduate from Terry Sanford High School prepared for the future. Leviarrion, who goes by Levi, has earned his Microsoft Office Specialist certificate after becoming proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Not only will this certification help him as he heads to college in the fall, it will also help him once he begins his career.
The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification gives high school students practical skills valued by employers, including managing data, creating formulas and organizing charts and tables. Earning this certification improves job prospects and supports further education or career growth.
After completing his freshman year as a student in the Occupational Course Study program, which is focused on vocational skills and preparation for post-school employment, Levi returned to standard classes as a sophomore.
“He joined Microsoft Excel near the end of Q1 and earned his Excel Associate certification within 10 days, scoring 90 percent proficiency, ahead of many classmates who started at the beginning,” said Angela Hall, lead counselor at Terry Sanford. “He is also friendly, caring and a strong self-advocate. I believe he is a perfect model of what all of our students can achieve with hard work and determination.”
He has worked diligently for the past three years, now holding a 3.9 unweighted GPA and is in the top 25 percent of his graduating class. Levi is thankful for the doors that have opened to him while attending Terry Sanford High School, crediting good learning environments and tools that can help students reach their goals.
Within Cumberland County Schools, students can earn a number of credentials, which are certifications issued by professional associations, vendors or employers. Credentials show that a student has the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a specific job. Credentials are not tied to a specific educational program but can be a step toward a student’s Career Pathway.
For Levi, working toward the MOS certification reinforced his love of computers. While in high school, he also earned an Adobe Design certification as well as concentrator status in Food and Nutrition and Computer Science. He plans to attend college after graduation and hopes to one day work in the IT field.
“This is a student who is focused from day one until the final day of class,” said Hall. “He embodies the kind of resiliency that turns setbacks into success.”