PUSD showcases career technical education at expo

From computer animation to auto repair, 3-D printing to biomedical science, students in Poway Unified School District’s Career Technical Education program showed examples of their work at an inaugural expo to showcase their diverse options.

The exhibition demonstrating their research, art and innovative projects was held on May 25 at the Petco Headquarters in Rancho Bernardo. The by-invitation event was open to parents, PUSD’s CTE business partners and others involved with the middle and high school courses.

“Students taking CTE courses are encouraged to use their academic and technical knowledge to solve real-world problems, create meaningful products and explore future careers,” Executive Director Kathleen Porter wrote in the expo’s program.

The courses revolve around several fields — agriculture and natural resources; arts, media and entertainment; automotive technology; engineering and architecture; health science and medical technology; information and communication technology; and public services/fire science.

Del Norte High had students demonstrating two biomedical science programs.

“I never get to see this,” Anicia Soares said after her daughter, Elizabeth, a Del Norte junior, showed her what she learned about the human body. “This amazes me, the level and what they’re learning.”

Mt. Carmel students talked about what they learned in automotive technology, sports medicine, entry level training in emergency medical services, computer animation and photography.

Allan Cabanilla, a Mt. Carmel automotive technology teacher, said students who complete the six-course, year-long program are ready to work at auto repair shops or enroll in vocational programs for additional certification.

“We teach the kids basics of the engine, how to repair it and the ins and outs of an engine,” he said. “We also teach about other special equipment in cars. ... This is not backyard repairs; they’re ready to go right into the industry.”

“It’s fun working on cars if you do not want to sit around at a desk, but work with your hands,” said sophomore Dustin Ferris. “It’s a very fun, educational program.”

“It’s a great learning experience, hands-on learning,” added junior Rafael Acosta.

Poway High featured students in its robotics, drama and studio art classes plus Future Farmers of America, which offers floral design, veterinary science, farming and ranching classes.

“I really love agriculture,” said PHS senior and FFA member Cheyenna See, who said she has gained leadership skills.

“FFA has set me up for careers,” See said. “I learned public speaking, how to job interview and know the proper (way to present myself).” She is interested in a cosmetology career.

Rancho Bernardo High students showed projects dealing with machines, robotics, 3-D printing and digital media.

Senior Annie Meggers, who plans to study mechanical, structural or biomedical engineering at Illinois Tech, showed the gun safe and hidden storage she built into a floating shelf by using a 3-D printer.

Twin Peaks Middle School students showed inventions they created with computer coding to solve real-world problems.

Eighth grader Ben Langer-Weida said he was inspired to create something to transform a regular wheelchair into an electric one after seeing a presentation at school by people who use wheelchairs.

“It must be a pain to push their wheelchair around and it would be nice for them to use electric, but it has an incredibly high price,” Langer-Weida said.

Eighth grader Ian Hoerr said he created an accelerometer so the intensity of the tremors experienced by those with Parkinson’s disease could be visually seen and measured. His inspiration was two grandparents with the disease, he said.

At the computer animation booth, Mt. Carmel junior Caroline Soderstjerna said the classes are “creative, yet still technical. It’s different ... an art and math approach and its just fun. It’s very different and not something I can do at home.” Soderstjerna said her dream is to work for Disney or Pixar.

“The options are limitless,” added senior Victoria Pitones, who said she aspires to work for a gaming company. She has completed an internship and is a freelance artist. After taking art classes at a community college, Pitones said she wants to transfer to the University of Oregon.

Dr. Mel Robertson, associate superintendent of Learning Support Services, said the CTE program cannot happen without community.

“What’s so nice about career technical education is that it takes every subject matter and brings it all together,” Robertson said.

According to Robertson, the program’s business and community partners support it in many ways, such as by being advisory board members, mentoring students, providing students with meaningful internships, providing supplies and assessing students’ work.

“This is great stuff,” said Bob Hasse, an advisory board member, after speaking with Poway High senior Hanna Ramsey about the fields students can explore in her campus’ agriculture and natural resources program and Future Farmers of America.

PUSD spokeswoman Christine Paik, who is mentoring a new digital media internship for advanced digital media high school students, said the teens are getting exposure to equipment that she — a former television news anchor — did not get to use until a couple years into college.

“They will have much more background experience and be at a great advantage,” Paik said.

She said the showcase was held because there has been “real growth” in the CTE program over the past year due to some state and county grants. “Our mission is college and career readiness and so many (of these classes) feed directly into in demand careers.”

PUSD officials are working closely with those in various industries to learn what skills need to be taught in K-12 classes so students have good preparation for the future. “It is not good to prepare them for careers that will be nonexisting or (not) have good potential,” Paik said.