BUCKHANNON – Buckhannon-Upshur High School is celebrating career and technical education this month.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) takes pride in preparing students for the workforce through a hands-on approach to education.
“CTE is primarily a career-based, more hands-on approach to learning. You choose a class and you're trained for that career,” says Brandon, assistant principal and CTE coordinator at B-UHS.・Mr. Williams said. “Among them [junior and senior] In class, students engage in real-world, hands-on experiential learning. One of the final suggestions for these classes is working in a simulated workplace model. Students basically do their “work” in a safe school environment. ”
CTE programs often offer dual credit courses that allow high school students to earn both high school and college credit for the time they spend in the classroom. For example, West Virginia's Grow Your Own program offers B-UHS students credits from West Virginia Wesleyan University.
“We partner with higher education institutions to basically give students a year off from college. They enroll in West Virginia's Grow Your Own program and take dual credit classes here. This is how we achieve this.” [at B-UHS]'' Williams said. “In their senior year, they are taking education classes on the West Virginia Wesleyan University campus.”
Mr. Williams told My Buckhannon that after graduating from B-UHS, Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (ECCAT) students can earn three years of free tuition at WVWC. The same student then returns to her alma mater, B-UHS, to complete the student teaching portion of the program. This is truly a full-circle moment.
There are currently a variety of CTE programs offered on the B-UHS campus.
- Agriculture: Students maintain and operate a working greenhouse as well as learn agricultural shop maintenance.
- Business/Accounting/Finance: Students learn the basics of business administration, entrepreneurship, accounting, and finance. The students are currently providing free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation services to the Upshur County community.
- Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (ECCAT): Students earn a certificate and then become classroom assistants in early childhood education institutions.
- Information Technology/Coding, App and Game Design: Students will operate an e-commerce site and develop a digital imaging project.
- Multimedia Publishing: Students in this program create digital, journalistic, and social media content for schools. These students also create and manage the school yearbook.
- ProStart: Students learn the basics of the culinary arts industry by cooking and learning in a working kitchen. The student operates her Buc & Brew Coffee Shop, where decaffeinated coffee is available for purchase daily. These students also provide menus for the school's special events.
Williams said both current middle school and high school students interested in enrolling in programs like those mentioned above should contact a counselor to learn more about their career interests, current program offerings, and post-graduation plans. I suggested that we should consult.
“I encourage students to go see a counselor and see what programs are available,” Williams says. “Be prepared and put in the work because it can be an intensive period of work, but the rewards will pay off. Don't be afraid to find out what programs are available here. ”
Some CTE students are also referred to as “double completers” or “triple completers” because they seek to obtain a rich education in multiple CTE programs while attending B-UHS.
Mark your calendars because the high school will be hosting Next Steps Night on Thursday, March 14th from 5pm to 7pm. This school-wide event provides students and their families with an opportunity to consider career options after high school.
Local businesses interested in partnering with Buckhannon-Upshur High School's CTE program should contact Brandon Williams at 304-472-3720, ext. 5013 or email brandon.williams@k12.wv.us.