CENTRAL POINT, Oregon—At the start of the 20th century, the timber industry and agriculture provided a solid economic base in this rural Southern Oregon community. Fast-forward to the year 2002, says teacher Mike Rogan, "and not a timber job can be seen." Students now in high school face a competitive job market. "It is my job to set students up for success," says Rogan.

At Crater School of Business, a school-within-a-school at Crater High School, Rogan prepares students for the future by offering an integrated course of study that combines English, social studies, business, and technology. Rogan and his teaching partner Todd Bennett, who recruited Rogan to join him in the School of Business, team-teach for the three-period block class that enrolls 58 high school juniors and seniors drawn from the larger student body of 1,600.

Technology is a key component, and each student within the School of Business is assigned a dedicated, networked computer. Students go online daily "to access the Internet for assignments, manipulate spreadsheets, create Web pages, produce professional business reports, collaborate on entrepreneurial projects, and explore dynamic software programs," Rogan says. His students also leave the classroom once a week for an internship at a local business that matches their interests.

To encourage students to think about future career and educational decisions, Rogan has them create Web-based portfolios that are similar to resumes, but more extensive.

"Today's Internet-driven world is leading the individual job searcher to the point where a standard written resume isn't enough," he says. "People wanting to get jobs with large companies or just wanting to stand out among the competition need online resumes and portfolios of their work." Students may use the electronic portfolios in the near future "to get a job or a college scholarship."

Each student's portfolio includes a resume, business plan, and digital photo, with links to related items such as writing samples, several assignments he or she is proud of, list of extracurricular activities, awards and honors, and discussion of personal hopes for the future. Students use sophisticated Web-page design software and graphics programs to make the sites attractive and easy to navigate.

"By citing real-world examples of online resumes and incorporating the technology available in the School of Business," Rogan explains, "the attempt is made to show students how critical it is to make a splash." He hopes students learn to use "intellectual abilities, technological strength, and marketing to set themselves apart."

A highlight of the project, he adds, is watching students select work samples of which they're particularly proud. "It was awesome watching them look at work they'd created earlier in the year with such a critical eye. Seeing the students gauge whether a particular assignment met their standard to be included in the portfolio was something every teacher would be proud of."

Rogan's current crop of students includes "a contingent who still wakes with the rooster crow, a growing segment of Hispanics, members of the Honor Society, three students on Individualized Educational Plans, several talented and gifted students, and a group who are looking at their last shot of success in high school."

Rogan knows from personal experience that careers can take surprising turns. He put in what he recalls as "a major stint in the restaurant biz" in Southern California, then had a change of heart while driving down a Los Angeles freeway at 4 a.m., after working a late shift. "I heard a promo that said, 'Be a star. Be a teacher.' It gave me goose bumps. That was 10 years ago," he recalls, "and I have been involved in teaching ever since."