Students have earned Microsoft Specialist certifications. In front from the left are Gordon Collins-Faunce, Mt. Blue High School; Megan Smith and Heather Emmons, Livermore Falls High School; Andrew Carleton, Mt. Abram High School; back, Regina Voter, business education teacher, Mt. Blue High School; Beckie Souther, Franklin Savings Bank, Mt. Blue High School Branch coordinator; and Lucas Hammond, Rangeley Lakes Regional High School.

Tech center students earn Microsoft awards

FARMINGTON – Students enrolled in the money and banking course at Foster Technology Center recently passed the Microsoft Office Specialist exams.

To earn the certification for Microsoft Office or Microsoft Project, the student must pass one or more certification exams. Office Specialist exams provide a measure of technical proficiency and expertise by evaluating overall comprehension of Microsoft Office, the ability to use advanced features and the ability to integrate the Office programs with other software programs.

“The students have spent the semester preparing, studying and training for the exams, which are administered online from Microsoft. Students are given 45 minutes to complete 45 questions or tasks,” said Regina Voter, business education teacher. “Students not only are running against a rigorous clock, but also must really know their stuff in order to pass the exam and finish it on time.”

The students also learn the fundamentals of banking and customer service by training and working as tellers in the Mt. Blue High School branch of Franklin Savings Bank.

Students learn by working in the real banking environment, which provides a more relevant learning situation than reading a textbook.

“Financial and banking transactional concepts can sometimes seem a little abstract to a teenager. But through this course, they learn the concepts by actually performing the transactions. When they read about it in the textbooks, it makes perfect sense,” said Beckie Souther, branch supervisor for Franklin Savings Bank, who works with the students.

“Foster Technology Center is very fortunate to have the partnership with Franklin Savings Bank to allow this learning environment to take place,” said Voter.

In another part of the course, students also run, operate and manage the Mt. Blue High School store, known as the Cougar Shoppe. Students learn customer service skills, marketing strategies, how to run the cash register, proper cash-up procedures and inventory control systems. Students must also learn how to operate under high stress situations when the store is busy.

Students are preparing for their two-week on-the-job training at one of the Franklin Savings Bank branches.

“This is an opportunity the students have prepared for the entire semester and are looking forward to the experience,” said Voter. “I’m confident that the students are ready and well-prepared to be placed into the work force.”