In honor of national Career Technical Education (CTE) Month, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District is working to raise awareness about its CTE education efforts that prepare high school students for high-wage, high-demand careers.
“CTE Month is a time to celebrate our classrooms that extend into our community, partner with industry and college leaders, and reflect real-world learning that will transform our students into the most employable, college-ready emerging adults,’’ LeeAnne Del Rio, CTE incentive coordinator, said in a press release.
While the district has long provided education options in a variety of CTE subjects, its programs have increased and improved since 2016, when the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District was awarded a $2 million state CTE incentive grant to go toward providing career-oriented learning. New classes, according to the district, include a forensics class at Pioneer Valley High School and engineering and environmental pathways at Santa Maria and Ernest Righetti high schools.
Plans for the district’s new Agricultural Education and Career Technical Education centers are also making gains, according to the district, and groundbreaking on the 25-acre property is scheduled for this spring.
This month has been about promoting the district’s many CTE classes and events, Del Rio told the Sun in an interview, including the upcoming second annual Student and Industry Collaboration Dinner. The dinner, which will be held on April 25 at 5 p.m. in the Radisson Hotel ballroom, is a huge networking opportunity for students, Del Rio said.
“We’re very proud of what we’re doing,” Del Rio said.
This article appears in Feb 22 – Mar 1, 2018.
