District provides update on career paths for younger students

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Career & Technical Education gram for the School District of Lee Coun continues to expand and reach students i elementary school

Adult & Career Education Director

Rita Davis said in a presentation last week to the Lee County School Board their main focus is to begin at the elementary level to get students excite about careers, which is done through th E x c e l l e n t C a r e e r E x p l o r a t i o n L a b , EXCEL, bus

“It contains hands-on learning career kiosks and virtual reality,” she said

During the 2022-23 school year, 1,236 fifth-grade students at 10 schools were exposed to the EXCEL bus There are nine more schools scheduled to attend

The students are divided with half taking a basic career aptitude survey to see what their interests are, while the others go onto the bus and immerse themselves in various careers, such as a nurse in an emergency room

“Our dentist station is sponsored by Portofino Dental Our healthcare station is Lee Health, law enforcement by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, construction by Lee BIA and My Shower Doors has manufacturing kiosks,” Davis said

The Career & Technical Education enrollment for sixth through 12th grade for the 2021-22 school year was 37,399, which was not as high as 2019-20 school year of 37,656 students, but higher than 2020-21 of 33,122 students.

“It is very important to make sure programs are having impacts with our students We have been expanding enrollment in sixth through 12th in Career & Technical Education,” Davis said

The digital tool certificates earned for sixth through eighth grade was 1,169 for 2021-22, compared to 1,510 for 2019-20 As of Jan 31, the digital tool certificates earned this year were 592 in such areas as word processing, introduction to gaming and good cyber citizens

The digital tool certificates are intended to get middleschool students excited about what could be available to them in high school. It takes them from their fifth-grade initial exploration to taking courses and earning the digital tool certificates

The ninth through 12th grade industry certifications earned was 2,099 for 2021-22 compared to 3,052 for the 2019-20 school year

There are more than 50 CTE programs for high school

“Seven years ago we strategically partnered with