By Shannon Lukens.
The Career & Technical Education Program at Steamboat Springs High School is a national initiative that brings career awareness to students at the high school. Staff for the CTE program recently gave a tour of the programs, which focus on hands-on studying, internships, and developing workforce skills for after high school.
Kirsten Brendtro is the CTE coordinator.
“Our students are getting opportunities to explore careers and really figure out what they want to do when they leave Steamboat Springs High School. They’re getting opportunities to try careers and really develop hands-on opportunities with the community, and work-based opportunities, as well as what we do through our pathways. We offer a myriad of different choices for students and they can pick what they want to do. They can do multiple pathways and really get some hands-on experience in the field that they’re interested in.”
The programs include business, media and technology, construction trades, engineering, health science, biotechnology, outdoor recreation leadership, natural resources and education. Students can also earn college credits at CMC and different certifications.
Complete Pathways and Course Descriptions
The CTE program offers work-based learning and works with local groups and businesses to get the students involved and do internships.
Options in Construction Trades include wood, metals and carpentry. Students are currently making dog houses. They are doing metal work. They’re doing internships and they can learn bike tuning and mechanics. Some of the bikes are being fixed up and donated to Routt County Riders for their Bike Match program. Carpentry programs are in partnership with Perry-Mansfield.
Engineering includes Media & Technology with graphic design, digital media, and computer science. Dan Brabec leads the program which has grown so much that another teacher is being added.
The Business portion includes introduction to PC applications, principles of marketing, personal finance, business economics, entrepreneurship, and business internships. One focus is on the question: What are you doing after high school and how will you be successful? Students are also involved with FBLA, which is Future Business Leaders of America.
Natural Resources include plant and animal sciences, environmental science, and natural resources internships. Science classes have been “re-tooled.” They learn dissection and SSHS now has a hydroponics lab. It is led by Bennett Colvin who says the students are producing food to be used in the high school cafeteria. They also work with engineering to come up with solutions if something is broken, and they work to improve the hydroponics lab.
Outdoor Recreation Leadership includes backpacking trips, wilderness route finding, more bike mechanic classes, and ski tuning. It is lead by Hannah Gary who teaches Spanish, Health, and Outdoor Ed. Gary also teachers Outdoor Recreation Leadership at CMC along with base level classes. Options include snow camping, Wilderness First Responder, guides to get jobs with BLM or USFS. There is also a Leave No Trace class where students can earn an industry certificate for different guiding organizations. Wilderness Route Finding is also studied, along with orienteering, avalanche awareness, topographic maps, navigating using a compass, and more.
Gary says there is a Med Prep/Intro to Health Science internship through UCHealth. They offer CPR training. Students took a field trip to visit the CNCC Nursing Program in Craig.
Health Science offers sports medicine, certified nursing aides at CMC, Wilderness First Aid Certification, ski patrol and EMS students.
Biotechnology includes health sciences and internships. Students learn about being in a lab and working in one, and the safety measures involved. Kirsten Brendtro is a former fishery scientist. She says, “The students are getting great opportunities that are launching them as they go into college.”
Education programs can have concurrent enrollment credit at CMC including CMC teaching, learning, and technology. There is also CMC Multicultural Education and CMC Multilingual Learners. The program wants students to enjoy education programs in hopes that they return to teach at local schools.
