Fort Worth Mayor Celebrates Skilled Grads

0:00It's April 18th. This is Dallas News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Fort Worth Mayor Matty Parker just celebrated nearly 600 high school seniors earning extra credentials on top of their diplomas this spring. 400 of them snagged associate degrees, while others grabbed trade certifications or completed apprenticeships, setting them up for real jobs, right away. This marched the fifth year of the mayor's push to link education with workhorse needs in a booming area. Earlier this week, she handed out achievement awards to these grads, calling them rock stars with bright futures ahead. Students like Kinsley Kelly from Central High are pumped, graduating with certified clinical medical assistant certification after switching from pharmacy tick. Aubrey Newman from Eaton High brings hands-on childcare experience and both shared how these paths built their skills and mindsets. Parents being with pride too, saying it's emotional watching their kids mature through these options they never had. One mom noted her daughter tried new fields until finding the right fit for nursing school.

1:04As North Texas keeps exploding, Fort Worth just topped 1 million people. These programs gear up the next generation to handle the growth will pass on to them.