LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)- Educators in Limestone County are preparing their students for their next phase in life.

School leaders in Athens have focused on the transition from high school to college. Fostering relationships in the community to create the ideal partnership for students to get jobs or continue their education after high school. They say no matter a child’s choice support is the goal.

“Sometimes, yes, children know by the time ninth grade they want to be a nurse, they want to be a doctor, they want to do this or that or something else, and yet many times you have to go into it to find out does this really fit or does it not fit,” said Robert Fudge, Athens Bible School President.

The schools say they have worked to give the children a broad, general education with a sense of responsibility to help students be able to focus their direction. They say building the bridge between local high schools and local colleges helps keep Alabama thriving.

“We’re very blessed in the North Alabama area to have the workforce needs that we have, and so it is extremely important that we prepare these high school students and community college students for the workforce because the workforce needs it, demands it, and we have what they need,” said Dr. Jimmy Hodges, the Calhoun Community College President.

As Limestone County continues to grow, educators say they are growing with it.

Dr. Randy Shearouse, Limestone County Schools Superintendent, says they have plans to build sixteen new classrooms at Johnson Elementary.

“…And so that’s gonna help with our east side growth because as you know, 150 students this year we grew. We’ve got 85 hundred total students and we really need to plan for the future,”