CTE Connections
December 2019
Preparing Students for Future College and Career Success
JROTC
Source: Tim Hicks, Trade & Industry Program Advisor
Students Serving Community Jacksonville High School Air Force JROTC Color Guard did an outstanding job at the Arkansas Veterans' Small Business Summit held Nov. 8 at U of A System Div. of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service Headquarters. This is a great example of CTE students serving their community.
Strong Bodies, Strong Minds, Strong Students! Congratulations to Cadet Laityn Tippy, Westside High School Air Force JROTC! At the Brookland Drill Meet on December 7th, where more than 20 JROTC units from Arkansas and Missouri competed, she was awarded Top Overall Female for Physical Fitness. She scored the maximum score on push-ups, maximum score on situps, and was 1st overall in the mile run.
FFA
Source: Sunni Wise, Ag Ed Program Advisor
County Line FFA Gives Back For the 9th year in a row, members of County Line FFA volunteered to work after school packaging over 200 food baskets with Community Outreach Services.
FBLA
Source: Molly Bennett, Paris HS FBLA Adviser Paris High School FBLA Continues Community Service Tradition Paris High School sets the bar high for community service, having won several national awards for their efforts. This year the tradition continues, with a coin drive to help area foster children feel extra special on their birthdays. Paris FBLA is very thankful to everyone who helped make this project a success. It is a community effort and the results prove that!
Adviser Molly Bennett explains “Originally we set goals of $125 and $250 with the incentives being to pie our assistant principal and principal. They encouraged us to double it. Our superintendent then said that if we doubled the new $500 top goal and raised $1000 we could also pie him! Our original top goal was quadrupled and we exceeded it! Thank you to our administrators for believing in our project and pushing us to do more than we ever imagined!” The project far exceeded the original goal, raising a total of $1,152.80! It’s great to see administrators actively involved in CTSO activities, and motivating students to set challenging goals. FBLA members also helped wrap presents for the CASA Tea Party. The Tea Party is an annual local event that helps provide Christmas presents to Logan County children in need. According to The CALL in River Valley, 120 children spend time in River Valley Counties foster care each day due to abuse or neglect. On average, there are only 25 families to care for these children.
Saylor Hampton (top) and Melodie Lo (bottom) wrapping gifts for the Tea Party
Project leaders with their “pied” administrators, Principal Mike Nichols, Superintendent Dr. Fawcett (in the poncho) and Assistant Principal Sean O’Toole
JONESBORO UNLIMITED: Industry Educators Externship Shared from: http://www.jonesborounlimited.com/taking-homework-back-their-students
November 15, 2019--"It is amazing to see the diversity of jobs available and the benefits these companies offer their employees." That quote sums up the purpose and the success of Jonesboro Unlimited's latest Industry Educators Externship. The drive behind the three-day program is to take Jonesboro-area educators and give them an authentic, inside look at the world of manufacturing. By taking part in the program, those teachers become equipped with crucial, hands-on knowledge of the kind of job opportunities their future graduates can seek out and encourage them to do so. "We have so much information to take back to our students. Getting to view everything firsthand is very impactful," said one of the teachers. During their tour, 37 teachers and guidance counselors entered the world of modern manufacturing at Hytrol, Nestle, Nice-Pak, and Frito-Lay. Each participant spent a day-and-a-half at one of the four selected sites, a half-day touring the other three sites and a third day which served as a debrief and discussion day where all 37 teachers came together to compare notes. One of the most common themes of discussion was the teachers' new-found understanding that the manufacturing world offers excellent careers across the spectrum. When questioned about what they saw as the most valuable part of their experience, one teacher said, "learning all of the various opportunities available to students who do and who do not want to further their education after high school." It was information the teachers are eager to share when they get back to their classrooms.
"It was a positive, eye-opening experience. I am anxious to get back to my classroom to share with my students about opportunities," said one teacher.
"I learned so much incredibly valuable information to take back to my students. This was a fantastic experience," said another. That's what Shelle Randall, Jonesboro Unlimited's Director of Workforce Development and Existing Industries, likes to hear. "Being able to reach out and engage these educators and immerse them in the world of manufacturing is an important step in developing our workforce," Randall said, "these teachers know the interests that light up their students' eyes. With the knowledge they are gaining this week, they can help guide those students and align their interests with a better understanding of the wide range of careers in manufacturing available in Jonesboro." The program couldn't happen without the support of the four companies taking part. Randall says this can be called contributing to the community as much as workforce development. "Hytrol, Nice-Pak, Frito-Lay, and Nestle have a great understanding of how important this program is. By opening their doors to these dedicated teachers, they are showing their commitment to developing our future workforce and investing in Jonesboro." Several suggestions came out of the time the teachers spent together comparing their experiences. Many of those ideas will be implemented for next year's event. If you would like more information about the program you can contact Shelle Randall at Jonesboro Unlimited.
You may copy and paste the YouTube link below to see a short video of Jonesboro teachers on their field trip: https://youtu.be/EU_E17AJM00
Jonesboro Unlimited is a private organization dedicated to advancing economic growth in the Jonesboro area.
http://www.jonesborounlimited.com/
Rogers Public Schools Offers Career-Related Experiences Source: Dawn Stewart, CTE Coordinator, Rogers Public Schools
The Fall 2019 semester was filled with many opportunities for students in the Rogers Public Schools to participate in career-related events designed to increase awareness of career programs offered in the district, as well as career opportunities available within the local area. The 3rd Annual Girls In Construction Conference was held on November 14, 2019. The goal of the conference was to introduce young ladies to career opportunities in the construction and related career fields. Several women currently working in the construction-related jobs within local construction companies were guest speakers and/or lead breakout sessions at the conference. The women shared information about the career path that lead them to a career in construction, advice for young women interested in pursuing a career in construction, and stories about both the challenges and successes of working in what is often termed a non-traditional career for women. Students also had an opportunity to visit a construction site, a renovation site and a completed construction site within the local area to view the different types of construction phases and projects.
Several groups of students at both the middle and high school levels are currently participating in the goIT program created by Tata Consultancy Services. goIT empowers future innovators to use technology for good.
As Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) signature community engagement program in North America for the last 10 years, goIT helps students design human-centered solutions that harness technologies for innovation. This digital innovation program blends design thinking and industry expertise to provide students with the 21st century skills necessary to create technology for social good. Through a standards-aligned engaging curriculum, students are introduced to the innovation lifecycle, product prototyping, and industry relevant entrepreneurial skills. The program ends with a high energy, ideapitching culmination event. TCS employees serve as role models during the program by mentoring students, providing industry context and real-world connections. goIT has become the largest industry engagement Computer Science education program for students in U.S. and Canada. Learn more at www.tcsempowers.org/goIT10.
Students Participate in FANUC Robotic Certification Training Preparing students for successful careers and bright futures is the focus of the Rogers Public Schools 21 st Century Career Programs. This year, thirty-two high school students from Rogers Public Schools will have the opportunity to attend the FANUC Robotic Certification Training offered at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Robotic Training Center. The training center is owned by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and is located in Fayetteville. Students participating in the training program will gain valuable knowledge and skills relating to the utilization and operation of industrial robotic equipment that has become an integral part of the manufacturing process. Students completing the required training components will attain the FANUC Robotic Certification, which is a recognized industry standard certification. Manufacturing continues to be one the leading industries within the NWA region, as well as Arkansas and the nation. One of the goals of career and technical education is to offer programs that align with both the current and projected workforce demands to help ensure that there are skilled workers readily available to meet industry demands. Within the manufacturing industry, there is a broad spectrum to jobs that correspond to the skill sets, processes and systems that are needed to manufacture different types of products and/or services provided by each manufacturer. Advances in the level of technological integration within manufacturing processes also contributes to the diversity of skills that workers will need to remain competitive in the 21 st Century workplace.
Educational research concludes that participation in career and technical courses coupled with relevant training and work-related experiences have a significant impact on a student’s career choice, as well as their potential future earnings within their chosen career fields. The experiences also help students formulate a plan for acquiring the knowledge and skills that are required for them to reach their career goals. In the effort to introduce students to careers within the manufacturing industry, several opportunities for students and teachers to visit local and regional manufacturing companies and facilities will be scheduled this year. These career experiences and visits will help introduce students to career opportunities available within different types of manufacturing and production companies.
DCTE Welcomes New Associate Director We are excited to welcome Dr. Kelly Lyon as the newest member of our DCTE Team, Dr. Lyon is joining our team as the Associate Director of Career and Technical Programs. Kelly Hunt Lyon, Ed.D., is a fifth-generation Arkansan with three decades’ experience in state government and post-secondary education. Lyon built award-winning, highperformance teams at the University of Central Arkansas, and Webster University, a private nonprofit university with a global network of extended campuses. At the Arkansas Department of Career Education, she worked with DCTE on strategic planning, grant writing, and professional development. Lyon briefly worked with the Office of Skills Development, the Career Education and Workforce Development Board, and the Department of Commerce Transformation Advisory Team during Transformation.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Lyon College and two degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock: a Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration. Lyon is active with nonprofit board service. She is a former Chair of the EAST Initiative Board of Directors and currently serves on the AR Kids Read Board of Directors.
Arkansas FCCLA Boasts Two National Officers Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for young men and women in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education. With a membership of over 175,000, we are proud to have two Arkansas members serving on the tenperson National Executive Council this year. Colten Sedman, of Brookland High School is serving as National Vice-President of Public Relations; while Marcia Williams, of Vilonia High School serves as National Vice President of Community Service. Both exclaim that serving on the NEC is a dream come true!
Colten Sedman, Brookland HS
Colten asserts, “FCCLA truly is the Ultimate Leadership Experience! Running for NEC taught me how to be confident, how to present myself to a national audience and how to take criticism positively. Serving in the communications department of FCCLA has shown me that a degree in marketing and hospitality management is the exact plan I will pursue!”
Marcia explains “Ever since I went to my first National Cluster Meeting, I knew I wanted to pursue something greater within FCCLA. Beginning my journey as a chapter officer, then district, and then state, I never could have imagined what my future had in store. The process was strenuous, but it was well worth the practice, the studying and long nights. One part of our process included writing a speech, focusing on how we believed FCCLA would affect our future. My answer was this: every way. FCCLA has shaped the leader I am, and the leader I aspire to be. It has shown me what I want to do for the rest of my life, which is to serve others.
Marcia Williams, Vilonia HS
Our Leadership Team
MISSION To prepare students for future college and career success.
VISION The Arkansas Department of Education is committed to transforming Arkansas to lead the nation in student-focused education so that every child graduates ready for college, career, and community engagement. In our 21 century economy, the lines between college, techst
nical education and career have blurred. And to succeed on any of these paths, our students need more complex academic skills, including creative problem solving, synthesis and design; they need interpersonal and teamwork skills; and they need a work ethic and flexibility to thrive in an economic and technological future where change and innovation will be constant.
CORE VALUES
Johnny Key Secretary of the Department of Education Dr. Ivy Pfeffer Deputy Commissioner Department of Education Dr. Angela Kremers Director Division of Career and Technical Education Sonja Wright-McMurray Associate Director DCTE Career Readiness/Work-Based Learning Dr. Kelly Lyon Associate Director Career and Technical Programs
This vision for excellent, student-centered CTE has five key goals that are aligned with the goals in Arkansas’ ESSA plan that was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in January 2018:
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