Last week, ACTE held its annual CTE Month site visit. The annual visit to schools near the Association’s national headquarters allows ACTE staff to see firsthand local high-quality programs that are preparing learners for success. This year, the site visit took place at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Notably, Kimberly Wilson (right), ACTE’s 2020 National Teacher of the Year, is a family and consumer sciences educator at the school.
The event was well attended, and ACTE was joined by a number of different educational organizations, along with staff from the U.S. Department of Education. The event began with a presentation by the school’s JROTC students. Attendees then heard about the program from administrators, and then listed to a panel of current students. The students, who collectively had experience with CTSOs, dual enrollment, industry-recognized credentials and internships, spoke highly of their CTE experience. One continuous theme was how CTE provided not just technical skills, but also the employability and interpersonal skills that are critical in today’s economy.
After the presentation, attendees toured many of the programs. Programs toured included the school store and credit union, health sciences, criminal justice, early childhood education, photography and graphic design, TV production, culinary, cosmetology, engineering and robotics, automotive, technical drawing, and cyber networking. ACTE is grateful to T.C. Williams for hosting the site visit, and left impressed with the programs the school offers and inspired by CTE’s transformative nature.
You can find more photos of the event here.
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