TCA senior Eric unlocks unlimited potential in criminal justice courses

February 18, 2026

The Career Academy is helping Lincoln Public Schools senior Eric pin down the knowledge he needs to become a successful law enforcement professional.
 
Eric has excelled in TCA’s criminal justice pathway during his time in the focus program. He has maintained good grades, built many friendships and prepared himself for his postgraduation plans. His future goals are to enlist in the Nebraska Army National Guard, earn a criminal justice degree in college and join a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. He would eventually like to work for an agency such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 
Eric said his two years at TCA have been transformational. He was undecided about his career options when he first stepped foot on campus, but he now has a clear vision of how he would like to serve the community.
 
“I’m thankful for the opportunities,” Eric said. “I wasn’t really thinking about going into all of these programs before coming here, and now that I’ve been able to try them, it’s helped me figure out what I want to do in the future.”

The Career Academy senior Eric stands in front of a classroom on the main campus. The door has a rectangle panel of glass in the middle of it and a separate panel of glass above it. The top panel says “TCA Criminal Justice” on it.

The Career Academy senior Eric looks at a page in a large textbook about criminal justice topics. He is sitting at a desk near the front of the classroom.
 
TCA criminal justice pathway instructor Ronicka Schottel said she has been impressed with Eric’s academic dedication. He takes courses at both TCA and Southeast High School, and he has balanced his studies with his involvement in Southeast’s wrestling program.
 
Schottel said a prime example of Eric’s persistence came last semester. He was unable to attend several of her in-person classes, but he joined the sessions via Zoom to ensure he could still participate in group discussions and projects.
 
“That type of resilience and work ethic is remarkable,” Schottel said. “Those are really important skills to have, especially in criminal justice.”

From left, The Career Academy senior Eric listens to his teacher speak about criminal justice topics in their classroom. The teacher is standing near the front of the classroom and Eric is sitting in his desk.

The Career Academy senior Eric listens to his teacher read part of a lesson in his criminal justice class. The class is sitting in chairs in a circle at the back at the classroom.
 
TCA Director Josh Jones said Eric has “shown incredible heart” with his schoolwork and has become a leader on campus. He takes classes alongside hundreds of other juniors and seniors who are involved in more than a dozen academic pathways.

Most TCA courses provide dual credit through Southeast Community College, which gives students a head start on their postsecondary aspirations. Each pathway includes entry-level college courses, field trips, skill competitions, hands-on class activities and networking opportunities with community partners.
 
Eric first learned about TCA from his two older sisters, who both attended the focus program when they were in high school. His oldest sister enrolled in the health sciences pathway, and his other sibling completed the academic transfer program.
 
Their glowing reviews prompted Eric to listen to TCA representatives who visited Southeast during his sophomore year. He was intrigued when they mentioned that criminal justice was one of the school’s academic options.
 
“I thought, ‘You know, that’s interesting. I might have to take a look at that,’” Eric said. “And now here I am. It’s been a really good decision to come here.”

The Career Academy senior Eric stands next to a railing in the middle of the TCA building. The second-floor railing overlooks a large commons area on the first floor.

The Career Academy senior Eric smiles on the second floor of the building’s main campus.
 
The criminal justice pathway prepares students like Eric for a variety of career fields. TCA’s eight courses cover criminal law, the judicial process and court system, juvenile justice, law enforcement communications, threat assessment practices and methods for conflict resolution.
 
Students also take part in multiple field trips that connect them with professionals. Eric and his classmates visited with a former FBI official last year who spoke about the complex nature of high-profile criminal cases.
 
“It was really eye-opening,” Eric said. “I enjoyed it a lot.”
 
Eric said accountability and time management are two of the top lessons he has gained from TCA. Schottel requires students to read materials and analyze information before they come to class each day. Completing the homework assignments has led to enriching conversations in the building’s second-floor classrooms.
 
“With Ms. Schottel’s classes, it’s a lot of talking and a lot of active discussions,” Eric said. “It’s really interesting, because you learn from other people and get their perspectives on the topics. If you don’t read the books, it’s harder to follow along, so it really prepares you for what college will be like.”

The Career Academy senior Eric stands in front of a poster that has TCA’s logo on it. The poster reads “We believe in the power of you” and has more than 50 signatures on it in different colors of ink.

The Career Academy senior Eric sits at his desk in a criminal justice classroom. He is facing left to right and is wearing a t-shirt that says “Nebraska wrestling” on it.

The Career Academy senior Eric reads part of a page in his criminal justice textbook. He is facing right to left and is wearing a Nebraska wrestling t-shirt.
 
Eric said TCA’s bell schedule has also been beneficial. The focus program features morning, midday and afternoon classes that each last approximately two hours. In addition to giving students a chance to consume a greater depth and breadth of academic material, the timetable also mimics the course structure found at many colleges, universities and trade schools.
 
One of the highlights from his time in the criminal justice program came last semester. Schottel led Eric’s class in several virtual reality training sessions during the final weeks of the course. Students walked through various high-pressure scenarios and figured out the best ways to achieve successful outcomes. They then talked about their experiences together in class.
 
Schottel said Eric’s performance in those training sessions reinforced her belief in his unlimited potential. She said his time at TCA would help him pin down a bright future in law enforcement.
 
“Eric was really good about responding to all of those situations in a calm and collected way,” Schottel said. “One of his biggest strengths is that he’s not a reactive person. He responds well with anything that is thrown his way, and that ability to take a situation and process it first before reacting is huge. His application of that is going to make a difference for him going forward.”

Interested in getting career and college ready? Explore The Career Academy. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Published: February 18, 2026, Updated: February 27, 2026

The

The Career Academy senior Eric stands in front of a poster with TCA’s logo on it. He has excelled in criminal justice courses during his two years in the focus program.