Along the Pathways

LAUSD CTE-Linked Learning

LAUSD CTE-Linked Learning Newsletter - Summer 2023

At Hale MS Video Games Inspire Students to Possible Careers

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Two seventh grade students play the newest Fast and Furious video game.

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CTE Teacher Stephan Muniz works with one of his students.

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A student uses one of many robots in Mr. Muniz's class.

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For most, a classroom with an arcade loaded with video games might seem like it would be a distraction, but for Hale Charter Middle School CTE Computer Science teacher Stephan Muniz and his students, they are the motivation, inspiration and a reward for the work they do.

Seventh-grade student Samuel is thoroughly enjoying Hale’s program and the access to the technology it offers. “No other students get to interact with technology as we regularly do.”

Catalina, also a seventh grader, agrees with the sentiment of the games being inspiring. “Being able to play the games is very motivating. Knowing that our work can result in their creation is cool.”

Hale’s CTE pathways include Engineering Design and Software Systems Development. Muniz and his colleague, CTE teacher Kate Dehbashi, share the duties of leading the aspects of those programs. Sixth grade students in this pathway learn about block coding through partner Project Lead the Way, and in seventh grade, they learn more advanced coding by using Java and Python coding and robotics. In eighth grade, they culminate the program by learning cybersecurity, completing work at a tenth-grade level.

Muniz thinks having games in the same room is the “icing on the cake,” to show students how the work they are doing applies in the real world. “This is the practicum,” he says when pointing to the desks and the computers, “and this the result,” he says as he points to the video games.

Students, like eighth grader Lucca, who is a video chess enthusiast, have used the class to help find their way socially and academically. “I’ve made friends," Lucca said. "It's made my other classes easier because this class has come so easy to me and I can focus more time on my other subjects.”

Seventh-grader Zachary feels like Muniz’s teaching and the program itself are giving him a good idea of the possible careers that can be had with the skills he is learning in middle school. “This just shows me the possibilities. I can be a game designer, or even a Youtuber or podcaster with what we learn.”

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A student plays on a driving simulator, which Mr. Muniz teaches his students to code before playing.

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A student uses an Oculus virtual reality device.

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Two students play chess on a electronic table game console.

Student Showcase and Advisory Meeting Combine at L.A. River Garden Park

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Students from Theodore Roosevelt High School's Biotech Linked Learning Pathway explain the work they do in the Gold Certified pathway.

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Industry partners and CTE Linked Learning share a light moment while collaborating during the Advisory Meeting .

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A Phineas Banning High School Firefighter Academy student demostrates firefighter equipment.

On Wednesday, May 3rd the LAUSD CTE-Linked Learning team held its Student Showcase and Advisory meeting event at the Los Angeles River Garden Park to celebrate the great work of many caeer pathways. Eighth graders and Industry Advisory Partners were invited to learn about and interact with 15 different high school career pathways. Afterwards our industry advisory provided feedback on our CTE-Linked Learning program.

Thank you to all who attended and who continue to support our students in giving them one-of-a-kind experiences and ensuring they are 'Ready for the World.'

“The annual showcase concluded with great success, shining a spotlight on the remarkable accomplishments of students across various pathways. I was impressed by the breadth of showcased disciplines, and particularly with the exceptional work presented by the biotechnology students of Mrs. Prekash at Roosevelt High School,” said Dr. Kian Kani, Director of Education & Outreach at the Ellison Institute, who attended. “These young biotech innovators demonstrated a profound level of creativity and dedication through their student projects. The Institute is honored to collaborate with LAUSD and numerous industry and academic partners to ensure that these students are fully prepared for college and career opportunities.”

Schools and pathways that showcased their programs included:

Robert F. Kennedy Community of Schools, School for the Visual Arts and Humanities SVAH: Animation, Belmont High School: Auto Repair, North Hollywood High School: Animal Science

Phineas Banning High School: Firefighter Academy, Sylmar Biotech Magnet High School: Engineering,

John C. Fremont High School: Engineering, John F. Kennedy High School: Architecture, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies: Information, Communications Technologies, John H. Francis Polytechnic High School: Culinary, Maywood Academy High School: Dance, Hollywood High School: Education

Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets High School: Building and Construction, Theodore Roosevelt High School: Biotechnology, Fairfax High School: Fashion and Design, San Pedro High School: Arts Media and Entertainment

Industry partners attending the Student Showcase and Advistory Meeting:

AECOM, America on Tech, American Institute of Architecture, Anthem Blue Cross, Apprenticeship Readline LAOC, Better Youth, California Credit Union, CCAP, Children’s Hospital, City of L.A. Mayor’s Office, Creative Creators, DJ Hapa, East L.A. College, EIF, Ellison Institute, Global Grid 4 Learning, Goodwill SoCal, Griffith Construction, Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, InTech

Linx Construction, Lockheed Martin, LAC+USC, Los Angeles Fire Department, LA Metro, Luskin, Music Forward, Music to Ears, Nickelodeon, PESA, PRN Ambulance, Reel Start, Skanska, USC Keck School of Medicine, Young Producers Group

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A group of middle school students get a hands-on demonstration from the Belmont High School Auto Repair Pathway.

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Students from the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies demonstrated their robotics skills.

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CTE Linked Learning staff and industry partners gathered for lunch while enjoying the Student Showcase and sharing programatic ideas.

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Maywood Academy dance students perfomed multiple times during the Student Showcase.

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CTE-Linked Learning Administrator Esther Soliman receives flowers from CTE Coordinator Seema Puri for her pending retirement.

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A North Hollywood High School Animal Science Pathway student feeds a rabbit.

Inaugural AME Film Fest a Huge Success

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The inaugural AME Film Fest featured numerous workshops and performances.

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Close to 100 films were submitted for competition.

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Awards were presented in the theater at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts.

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With the support of industry partner, Creating Creators, the inaugural Arts Media and Entertainment (AME) Fest for LAUSD took place on Saturday, May 6 at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. Close to 100 films and over 200 photographs and graphic designs were submitted for competition. There were also numerous workshops that connected students to the entertainment industry.

This is just the beginning of what will become an amazing annual showcase of our students' creativity along with the remarkable partnerships that the CTE-Linked Learning department has been able to cultivate.

LAUSD Has Skillfull Showing at SkillsUSA State Competition

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Sylmar Biotech students on the awards podium at California state SkillsUSA competition.

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Sylmar Biotech students outside the Toyota Arena in Ontario, the site of the California state competition.

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Joe Agruso's Van Nuys High School students performed impressively in SkillUSA competition.

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Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are crucial and invaluable entities in career education. Because of CTSOs, our CTE and Linked Learning career pathway students can test and hone career skills they are learning in the classroom on a higher, competitive level amongst peers in regional, state and national competitions. There are currently six CTSOs that are endorsed by the state of California: DECA: An Association of Marketing Students, FCCLA (Future Career and Community Leaders of America), FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), FFA (Future Farmers of America), HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), and SkillsUSA. LAUSD has CTE-Linked Learning pathways that participate in almost all of these CTSOs with various degrees of success and achievement.

SkillsUSA serves more than 395,000 high schools, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training and skilled service occupations. During the SkillsUSA California state competition in Ontario from April 13-16, the students below medaled and qualified to compete in the SkillsUSA National Competiton from June 19-23 in Atlanta, Georgia.

LAUSD National Qualifiers

High Schools

John F. Kennedy High School

Outstanding Chapter

Silver – Team A (Leo Kahlenberg, David Vilches, Calliope Veal)

Sylmar Biotech Magnet High School

20 Second Elevator Story

Gold – Guillermo Cruz Santiago

American Spirit

Gold – Team A (Katerine Fuentes De Leon, Aaron Avila, Alyssa Cabrera)

Engineering Technology-Design

Silver – Team C (Paulina Rosales-Ramirez, Adriana Ochoa, Alejandro Romero)

Van Nuys High School

Action Skills

Gold – Gabriel Ayvar

Automotive Service Technology

Silver – Allen Salazar

CNC 2-Axis Turning Programer

Silver – Alan R. Alba

CNC 3-Axis Milling Programmer

Bronze – Fabio Carias

Diesel Equipment Technology

Gold – Thomas Polce

Silver – Oscar Ortiz

Motorcyle Service Technology

Gold – Chad Agruso

Middle Schools

Thomas A. Edison Middle School

C02 Race and Design

Bronze – Damian Medina

Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue

Bronze – Team D (Bryan Gonzalez, Bryan Toro Reyes)

Olive Vista Middle School

Mobile Robotics Technology

Silver – Team B (Andy Medina, James Kemsley)

Team Engineering Challenge

Silver – Team A (Guraan Rai, Tanvir Singh, Anderson Ceballos)

Kristin Padilla, CTE Teacher, Contreras Business and Tourism

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Ms. Padilla

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Ms. Padilla's class competed in multiple competitions at the Virtual Enterprises International state conference in Bakersfield in January.

Before becoming a CTE teacher, Ms. Padilla worked for Nordstrom as an Assistant Manager of Women's Contemporary Design. Along with her retail experience, she is also a small business co-owner/entrepreneur for a women's clothing brand. Throughout her industry experience she was able to gain knowledge of the retail sales industry as well as business management experience. At the School of Business and Tourism, Ms. Padilla teaches 11th and 12th grade Business Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Virtual Enterprises International Advanced class.

Her Virtual Enterprises International class competed at the Regional and State level for the Business Plan competition. This allowed her to take 20 students to the Virtual Enterprises International state conference in Bakersfield. The students participated in different competitions at the conference and got to experience an overnight field trip.

Congratulations to Our Retirees!

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Dr. Wendy Wooten will retire after 35 years total in LAUSD and leading Reseda Charter High School's amazing Biotech program.

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Mary McAlpine retires after 36 years in LAUSD, including her time with Banning's MATCH Academy cuilnary program.

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Esther Soliman retires after 33 years with LAUSD in which she was a teacher, principal and also built the CTE-Linked Learning department from the ground up as administrator.