Henrico CTE Now (Career & Technical Education)

While the fire protection business is a well-kept secret, the industry is growing dramatically with excellent opportunities for entry-level technicians. Nathaniel Johnson, a 2024 graduate of HCPS and a new employee with VSC Fire & Security, shares his story of pivoting from college-bound to career-ready. Jason Dixon, an alum of Highland Springs Tech and field superintendent with VSC Fire & Security, gives us a glimpse into the responsibilities and realities of fire protection professionals.

In this episode, we’re on location at the New Teacher Academy to meet a few new recruits and hear advice from seasoned veterans. HCPS is proud to have some of the finest teachers in the Commonwealth, and we’re excited to welcome our newest members to the CTE family.

Talented students from across the nation converged in Orlando for the national FBLA competition. A trio from Tucker High School’s IB Program distinguished themselves in the Website Coding and Development category, with a website designed to take on real-world challenges. How did they do in the heat of competition and what did they learn about themselves in the process? Meet the team and their accomplished FBLA advisor, Yvette Lee.

Guests:     Yvette Lee: AP Computer Science, Tucker HS     Om Tasgaonkar, Tucker IB Program       Rutam Tasgaonkar, Tucker IB Program     Pranav Konjeti, Tucker IB Program

On today’s episode we visit with Billy Batkins, Technology Education teacher at Highland Springs High School and TSA Advisor, and two of his students who were winners at this years TSA Conference in Orlando Florida, Luke Coughenour, 1st place winner in the Flight category, and Declan Rhodes, 1st place winner in the Dragster Design category. Both students are attending the Specialty Center for Engineering at Highland Springs High School. Luke placed first in Flight Endurance with a model plane that weighs about as much as a pen, and Declan snagged the top honor in Dragster Design with his sleek model in this year’s competition.

In this episode, we visit Agriberry Farm & CSA and talk with Juniper Runion, Membership & Engagement Coordinator at Agriberry, and Chef KC Chidester, Baking and Pastry Arts instructor at the ACE Center at Hermitage. Also, we would like to introduce our summer intern who is guest hosting in this episode, Megan Cash, who is a communications student at Radford University.

Agriberry Farm & CSA shines as a beacon of local agriculture, where Juniper Runion leads with passion, engaging the community in the farm's operations and the significance of seasonal produce. Chef KC Chidester joins the conversation to emphasize the farm-to-table movement and the vital education of students in sustainable food practices. Together, they advocate for the next generation to explore the rewarding paths in agriculture and culinary arts, ensuring the future is rich with knowledgeable food artisans and caretakers of the land.

https://agriberry.com/

In this episode, we talk about our Summer Career Camps and Summer Building Trades and how students can experience some career exploration over the summer. We talk with Willie Cline our Electricity and Cabling instructor at the Highland Springs ACE Center, Mac Beaton, director of Workforce and Career Development, Tracy Parrish, service manager at Howell’s Heating and Air, and William Parker, president of the Henrico County Vocational/Technical Education Foundation.

What an amazing episode! Listen to our guests Bobbi Southard, Sports Medicine Instructor at the ACE Center at Hermitage, and Bruna Colladetti de Souza, ACE Center Sports Medicine student tell the exciting story of Bruna's journey at the ACE Center in our EMT and Sports Medicine programs and now, medical school!

In our latest episode, we visit with Jennie Por, Early Childhood Education II Instructor, Maya Carroll, Early Childhood student, LaRhonda Mason, Family, and Consumer Science Education Specialist, and talk about The ACE Center at Highland Springs Early Childhood Education program and the lab which is a working daycare center known as Springer Preschool Academy. Of course, we also discuss Jennie's recent award, Teacher of the Year!

Todays guests were Dionne Hughes, Owner & Stylist, Image Enhancement Center – Signing Day Business Participant, Sah’Miyah Fife, Cosmetology Student, ACE Center at Highland Springs, and Cynthia Williams, Cosmetology Instructor, ACE Center at Highland Springs. We spent some time at Dionne's salon and talked about the industry and how young people can begin their training at the ACE Center at Highland Springs Cosmetology program and train to receive their state cosmetology license.