PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas Technical College’s motto is “opportunity starts here.”

The school offers dozens of careers with more than 60 programs, lasting about a year.

The students get jobs. More specifically, good paying jobs.

"They have a certification, they're ready,” said PTC Clearwater Director Jakup Prokop of the school’s students. “They're not afraid of what's out there. They're not afraid to go to a job interview, and not afraid to take that next step in life. When you take a single mother of two and provide an opportunity for her. It's God's work."

And you could call Brenda Frazier one of the angels. She's been teaching for nearly 15 years at the school, specializing in medical administration.

"They're the people that are the faces of most of our doctors, our hospitals, even nursing homes, veterinarians, said Frazier, a medical administrative specialist program instructor.  “I've had students that have worked for the health department when they leave here. 911 operators."

It's Frazier's heart that makes her unforgettable in class.

Not only does she have a high placement and graduation rate. She bonds with each student and then builds their soft and critical thinking skills so they can grow in the job.  

Students call her a life changer.

"Ms. Frasier is basically the epitome of a career technical education teacher,” Prokop said. “She holds her students in high regard. She has very high expectations and because of her caring nature and innate ability to be a kind person, they respond to her. What happens is they follow her."

And because of Frazier’s nature and innate ability to be a kind person, students respond to her.

"My high schoolers are only here for 2-and-a-half hours a day, but the adults are here all day, 5 hours,” she said. “So after being with someone for 5 hours a day, you get to know them. We talk.  I have this thing of I need to feed your soul and I need to feed your belly. 

“So in my classroom I have a little kitchen area, and we have coffee in there. We have chips and snacks, so if they get hungry, they don't have to worry about whether they've had something to eat because if you're hungry, you can't learn."

Frazier says learning goes both ways.

"I really love my job,” she said. “And I really do love my students, because every one of them brings something to the table that teaches me and helps me to be a better person and a better teacher down the road."