Cove High graduates first class of certified security officers

Special to Leader-Press 

The next time you go to the bank to make a deposit or head through security at the airport, look at little more closely when you say hello to the security officer on duty. It may be a 2017 Copperas Cove High School graduate.

With more than 30 areas of certification in which Copperas Cove High School students can receive training which allow them to be job-ready upon graduation from high school, the CCHS Public Service/Criminal Justice Program offered an additional course this year which leads to state certification in Level II Security Officer training, allowing students to apply for various security positions such as Loomis Security, Transportation Security Administration, and corporations in the areas of retail, hospitals, and financial institutions, who use security guards as part of access control and loss prevention programs.  

This year, eight CCHS students, who met the 18 year old age requirement, successfully completed the course and passed the required test to receive state certification.  These students, all a part of the CCHS Law Enforcement II course, are Joshua Burns, Lauren Castaneda, Agustine Perez-Ramirez, Noah Gamo, Thomas Dossett, Erik Salinas, Tyler Nace, and Dylan Ross.  The students received certificates of completion, which will result in state certification upon employment.  

“I’m glad I got this opportunity to help me prepare for a job in law enforcement when I become 21,” Ross said.

The CCHS Public Service/Criminal Justice program, instructed by teacher Patrick Zangarine, is one of nearly three dozen Career and Technology Education programs offered to students at Copperas Cove High School.  

“These programs provide real world training within industry standards, preparing student to enter the workforce, and in many cases leads to certification opportunities,” Zangarine said.

For Erik Salinas, the additional experience can only enhance his future career goals.

“I already have my career laid out, but this gives me a chance to get a job before I begin that career,” he said.

CCHS’ CTE class offerings include a variety of offerings from culinary arts to video game design to medical sciences to agriculture and auto mechanics.  In addition to security officer certification this year, CCISD also added welding certification to its class line-up for high school  students this past school year.