We are thrilled to announce that Whitehall City Schools has been awarded the Ohio Career Technical Education (CTE) Equipment Grant of $1.77 million. This grant will provide much-needed resources to enhance our educational offerings and create new opportunities for our students.
Grant Overview and Impact
WCS has been awarded this grant to implement and expand Career Technical Education pathways. We currently have no Career Tech Education Pathways outside of approximately 85 students attending the Eastland-Fairfield Career Centers. However, this grant will change that by providing essential equipment and support to establish robust CTE programs in our district.
New CTE Pathways
We collaborated with Eastland-Fairfield Career Center to submit applications for two new pathways: Medical BioScience and Engineering & Design. The Project Lead the Way (PLTW) framework will integrate these pathways into our curriculum.
Enhancing Curriculum and Resources
With the help of $28,000 in PLTW grants already secured for curriculum costs and teacher training, this new grant will allow us to purchase the remaining equipment needed for the Biomedical and Engineering pathways. This includes new technologies and the ability to embed industry-recognized credentials in each pathway. We will work closely with our industry partners to select the equipment and technologies that will most benefit our students' future career success.
Key Initiatives
Creation of Career Pathways: Both Biomedical and Engineering, which will allow for industry-level experience and training.
College and Career Ready Labs: Introducing Paxton Patterson College and Career Ready Labs to increase college and career awareness for middle school students.
Virtual Reality Training: Purchasing Umety VR headsets and digital content for virtual simulations and career training.
Career Readiness Progression: Developing a PK-12 career readiness progression to expose students to various career options throughout their education.
VEX Robotics Club: Starting a VEX robotics club to support the Engineering pathway and engage students in STEM activities.
Industry Credentials: Embedding industry credentials such as CPR, Autodesk Fusion, CompTIA+, NCCER, OHSA, Phlebotomy, STNA, and more into our pathways and curriculum.
Internship Partners: We have partners from over 10 Medical and Engineering companies that will create internship opportunities for our students.
Future Focus
Whitehall Yearling High School has already held successful Future Focus Days, bringing industry professionals to interact with students. The Supervisor of Alternative Programs will expand these events and introduce similar initiatives at the middle school level.
This grant is pivotal to creating comprehensive CTE programs within Whitehall City Schools. These programs will give our students the tools and opportunities to succeed in their careers.
We are excited about the incredible opportunities this grant will bring to our students and our district. Stay tuned for more updates as we implement these exciting new programs!