As CTE grows, YUHSD’s program thrives

A different approach to high school learning has been sharing a little bit of the spotlight recently, and it’s one that Yuma Union High School District excels at.

On Jan. 7, student ambassadors for YUHSD’s career and technical education (CTE) program visited Gov. Doug Ducey’s inauguration.

“I handed out fliers and answered questions on how our programs can be beneficial to not only students, but for all community members,” Cibola High School student Kaelyn Jameson said in a press release from YUHSD. “Getting to see other CTE programs from the state and getting to meet other people in different programs enhanced my appreciation of our CTE programs within YUHSD.”

These programs, which were also lauded by Ducey in his State of the State address, give students a chance to learn specific skills or trades to prepare them for a career and life beyond high school.

“Many of us remember a class back when we were in high school called “shop.” It’s where a lot of good people discovered a passion they turned into a purpose, and a pretty good paycheck,” Ducey said in his address. “Our education leaders are creating the shop classes of the 21st century.”

Also known as CTE programs, they have been seeing quite a bit of growth in the past few years, especially within YUHSD.

Since 2015, the district has seen enrollment in the courses grow almost 200 percent, with 71 percent of their students taking part in at least one CTE course.

And with a 99 percent graduation rate among students that complete CTE in the district, it’s easy to see why the program has had so much success.

From nursing to flying drones for agricultural purposes, kids in these programs can leave high school with certifications that allow them to work right away, or have an easier transition into post-secondary education by earning college credits.

And just because these classes take place at a high school, doesn’t mean they aren’t the real deal. CTE students have access to some impressive resources.

Kofa High School boasts a kitchen and hospitality lounge that’s used to teach their culinary arts and hospitality management classes.

“They’ve got everything from deep fryers to pizza ovens to walk in freezers, I mean you name it,” said Eric Patten, community engagement and communications director for YUHSD.

The fees are minimal, too, with the highest cost per semester coming in at $20.

And with this relatively low cost compared to colleges and trade schools, CTE Executive Director Lorie Honeycutt, who has been involved with the program for 16 years, thinks it’s a great way to experiment with different career paths.

“It allows our students to have the opportunity to get a taste for what they might want to do someday,” she said.

Even if some students plan on going into college for a specific degree, Patten says that the certifications and credits that CTE offers can still help.

Patten gave the example of a girl from Kofa that “took the nursing class just for fun, just to see if she could pass the CNA exam.

“She doesn’t even want to be a nurse, she wants to go into law enforcement,” he said. “And she took the CNA exam, passed it, and she got her CNA license.”

“Imagine, the good thing for her is if when she goes to college, she wants to work as a CNA and make a little more money than you would working at a fast food restaurant, or doing other things,” said Eric Brooks, Ready Now Yuma director for YUHSD.