CTE Students Compete Nationally

High School students from across the district traveled to several states this summer en route to international competitions through their Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. High marks in state competitions allowed students to participate on the national stage. 

All four high school Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) groups attended the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) competition in Orlando, Florida.  Students participated in networking events with students from other states and countries and learned valuable information to bring back to their DECA clubs. Valley Vista High School and Willow Canyon High School both won the School Based Enterprise Gold Certification Plaque.  Shadow Ridge High School won eight competency awards, 6th place in Virtual Business Enterprise for Retailing, and ninth place in Virtual Business Enterprise for Fashion.

DECA is a premier student organization that supports the development of marketing and management skills in career areas such as hospitality, finance, sales and service, business administration, and entrepreneurship.

Shadow Ridge High School and Willow Canyon High School students from the Graphic Design CTE program competed at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC)  in Atlanta, Georgia.  This event brought together thousands of students, instructors, business partners, and administrators and celebrated the accomplishments of those preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and was an opportunity for students to showcase their talents and skills on the national level. Shadow Ridge participated in Pin Design and Willow Canyon competed in the Arts and Communications, Interactive Application and Game Design events, and earned seventh place in the Career Pathways competition.

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. 

Dysart High School, Shadow Ridge High School and Willow Canyon High School attended the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas June 20-25, 2023.  The event focused on leadership, professional and technical skills, educational seminars, workshops and exhibits presented by professional partners that provide Information about current healthcare issues.  Willow Canyon High School Lab Assisting and Sports Medicine students participated in the Health Care Issues Exam, and the Mental Health Promotional Team.  Dysart High School Sports Medicine students also participated in the Healthcare Issues Exam and alumni Alyssa Blanford won the Bronze Barbara James Service Award for her volunteer hours and commitment to community service in health.  Shadow Ridge High School participated in the HOSA Quiz Bowl which provides members with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills on various topics and situations in health, current health topics, HOSA, and parliamentary procedure.

HOSA is a student-led organization that seeks to empower students to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. 

Valley Vista High School students from the Graphic Design and Technology Devices Maintenance programs attended the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia June 27-30, 2023. FBLA members had the opportunity to compete in leadership events, share their successes, and learn new ideas about shaping their career future through workshops and exhibits. Students participated in the Journalism and Management Information Systems competition.

“Attending the FBLA National Leadership Conference was the highlight of our CTSO organization for the 2022-2023 school year,” said Willie Walker, Valley Vista High School CTE Teacher. “It was a great opportunity for my students to meet and network with other students from across the country and world. It gave my students the confidence to share their knowledge base with others and be exposed and enlightened to what it takes to compete at the FBLA National level.”

FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.

Shadow Ridge High School Educational Professionals students attended the Educators Rising Nationals in Orlando, Florida June 29-July 2, 2023. The conference allowed students to connect and learn from each other through breakout sessions, network with other members from across the country, and compete for national titles in competitive events designed to allow students to develop and showcase their teaching skills.  Shadow Ridge competed in several competitions and found great success at the event placing 3rd in Lesson Planning and Delivery-STEM, 4th for the Inside Our Schools competition, 6th in Public Speaking, 7th in the Creative Lecture (Ted Talk), and 9th in the Researching Learning Challenges event.

Education Professions is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that prepares students for employment or post secondary opportunities in the education field. The program provides instruction in education career choices, education structure and systems, theory, pedagogy, developmental stages, learning styles and methodology. The program also provides interactive experiences with students at different age levels, in a variety of content areas in educational environments.

DECA, SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, and Education Professionals are a few of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities offered to prepare students for the academic and vocational skills necessary to successfully enter the workforce.  Learn more at dysart.org/cte.