Manatee County Technology Student Association District Competition

CTE Showcase

The Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto recently served as host to the annual Postsecondary Education Night and High School Showcase, where students and parents gained first-hand information to help students prepare for life beyond high school.

Adult, Career and Technical Education (ACT) Department representatives and teachers from our middle and high school career academies were on hand to answer questions and share their unique career preparation programs. Teachers helped students and p a r e n t s understand and how students can earn valuable industry certifications, as well as how they can jumpstart their postsecondary education through advanced placement and dual enrollment college credits.

Career academy teachers joined representatives from over 100 universities, colleges, and vocational/technical schools who shared resources on their schools, the application process, financial aid, scholarship assistance, and more.

“The S.W.E.A.T. Pledge” (Skills and Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo)

1. I believe that I have won the greatest lottery of all time. I am alive. I walk the Earth. I live in America. Above all things, I am grateful.

2. I believe that I am entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Nothing more. I also understand that “happiness” and the “pursuit of happiness” are not the same thing.

3. I believe there is no such thing as a “bad job.” I believe that all jobs are opportunities, and it’s up to me to make the best of them.

4. I do not “follow my passion.” I bring it with me. I believe that any job can be done with passion and enthusiasm.

5. I deplore debt, and do all I can to avoid it. I would rather live in a tent and eat beans than borrow money to pay for a lifestyle I can’t afford.

6. I believe that my safety is my responsibility. I understand that being in “compliance” does not necessarily mean I’m out of danger.

7. I believe the best way to distinguish myself at work is to show up early, stay late, and cheerfully volunteer for every awful task there is.

8. I believe the most annoying sounds in the world are whining and complaining. I will never make them. If I am unhappy in my work, I will either find a new job, or find a way to be happy.

9. I believe that my education is my responsibility, and absolutely critical to my success. I am resolved to learn as much as I can from whatever source is available to me. I will never stop learning, and understand that library cards are free.

10. I believe that I am a product of my choices – not my circumstances. I will never blame anyone for my shortcomings or the challenges I face. And I will never accept the credit for something I didn’t do.

11. I understand the world is not fair, and I’m OK with that. I do not resent the success of others.

12. I believe that all people are created equal. I also believe that all people make choices. Some choose to be lazy. Some choose to sleep in. I choose to work harder than all of them.

On my honor, I hereby affirm the above statements to be an accurate summation of my personal worldview. I promise to live by them.

http://profoundlydisconnected.com/skill-work-ethic-arent-taboo/

Haile twins make history

These young designers are doing more than working towards their next certification.  The brothers are reading specification drawings to model a Ducati Superbike Evo 848 Motorcycle and a 2013 M1100 HCR Snowmobile in SolidWorks.   Haile Middle School is a CSWA Provider.

Thank you for sharing with the SolidWorks Community.  We can’t wait to see what you design in 8^th grade.

You can find out more about the SolidWorks Certification Provider Program for your school at www.solidworks.com/cswa

Photo provided by the Manatee County ACT Newsletter Summer 2013.  Marie

http://blogs.solidworks.com/teacher/2013/08/twins-pass-cswa.html

Engaging the community in STEM classrooms

 

How do you teach students skill for jobs which do not even exist?  Present day STEM classrooms house the ability for students to obtain skills and credentials to become productive members of society.  However teachers and community share the responsibility to support and inspire students to move further beyond the classroom and better understand the significance of career application to learning.

Today in the engineering lab at Haile Middle School the sheriff’s department demonstrated how robotics is utilized improve their work environment.  The sheriff robot was driven, displayed and discussed.   Students were given the opportunity to make a real life connection between skills learned in the classroom to skills desirable in today’s workforce.  Numerous proficiencies of design, manufacturing and problem solving were conversed between students and a community leader at a high complexity level.

From my experience partnerships between school and community can better promote learning inside STEM classrooms, and students are given the opportunity to connect classroom skills to real life career skills.  These opportunities can be applied going into college or directly into the workforce after high school.

Engineering and Technology Education Advisory Group for Manatee

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Engineering-Technology-Education-Advisory-Group-4943564/about