McDowell CTE Newsletter

Congratulations to Krysteena and Ty for being selected as Corporals in their Law and Justice class. They were chosen for their grades, participation, and teamwork abilities. Each will represent their squad, which is four to eight students.

Students are preparing to create a podcast and here you can see they are doing valuable research prior to recording their podcast.

Bailey Moss and Rafe Biddix have been working with MOXY this semester. They have sorted and cataloged all the inventory, creating an inviting shopping experience for our students and staff.

Mr. Shane Ramsey's students have worked hard designing model houses, exploring Paxton Patterson welding modules, and diving into electrical trades! These hands-on experiences are preparing them for real-world careers and success

The Life Skills classes have been busy crafting beautiful pencil boxes from rulers and family coasters in Mr. Ramsey’s class!

Mrs. Wills' Exploring Business students learned about starting and operating an Arcade Museum from the Carolina Arcade Museum in Forest City, NC. Let the games begin!

A huge thank you to Jonah at Chick-fil-A Forest City for speaking with Mrs. Wills' students about the different roles in the restaurant business. Your insights and enthusiasm gave them great insight into career opportunities and the skills needed to succeed. We appreciate your support in helping students explore their future career paths!

The CARP (Career Awareness Readiness Program) students visited McDowell County CTE to learn about our courses and many options. Students also heard from DECA, FFA, FCCLA, HOSA, and Skills USA. They learned about apprenticeship opportunities and CCP options. They finished at Countryside Barbeque with an etiquette lesson and lunch.

Our Chick-fil-A Leader Lab 5 Communication students put their skills to the test by writing step-by-step directions for making a PB&J sandwich. They quickly learned that clear, detailed instructions are key—because you can’t assume someone already knows how to do it! This hands-on activity reinforced the importance of effective communication in everyday tasks. They also spent time working on their impact projects.

Student leaders read with students in Mrs. Stillwell's class. Each student received a bag with books to take home.

Student leaders read with students in Mrs. Daves' class. Each student received a bag with books to take home.

Student leaders read with students in Mrs. Nicholson's class. Each student received a bag with books to take home.

CTE teachers were recognized at the McDowell County Schools board meeting for earning bonus pay for the 2023-24 school year by having students gain the following credentials:

*Clark Adams: Elanco Veterinary Medical Applications

*Angie Allison: Certified Guest Service Professional

*Charles Autrey: FEMA Emergency Management Institute & 911

*Chad Brewer: NCCER - Construction Core & Masonry

*Cristen Clark: Accredited Food Protection Manager- Safe Plates

*Charlie Davis: Woodwork Career Alliance Sawblade

*Paul Davis: ASE - Maintenance & Light Repair

*Wesley Minish: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, & InDesign

*Staci Shaw: North Carolina Early Childhood Credential

*Daniel Smith: Autodesk 3DS Max

Students have been working hard in Floriculture, getting ready for Valentine’s Day!

They have created their first semester arrangement by filling orders from MHS staff members. Thank you, Chad Beam, at Hometown Floral , for providing quality flowers for our floral design students this semester!

Thanks to Mrs. Baker, Director of Advanced Learning and Differentiation, for leading our Teaching as a Profession class.

The McDowell Chamber of Commerce LINC program participants visited CTE today and learned about our fantastic program areas! Thank you to our student LINC participants for being tour guides and to our culinary class for a delicious lunch.

The MTCC construction program is teaming up with the high school construction classes to build 2 affordable houses in the Clinchfield area of McDowell County. #buildingaresume #realworldexperience

Students in Mrs. Rock's cosmetology class used beads to model the different bonds of hair—hydrogen, salt, and disulfide. This creative activity helps students visualize the science behind hair structure and styling.

FFA week came during our wintry weather week. While the weekly plans changed a little, the FFA students still made the staff breakfast happen, just a little later. Thank you, McDowell High FFA, for starting our morning off right on February 25 with a delicious breakfast for MHS teachers!

Our CTE Student Advisory Board assists with special events in CTE and provides insight and feedback on our CTE programs. We invited them all to share a few things about themselves. Here are a few that decided to be in the spot light!

We offer a wide variety of career pathways for students to gain valuable experience and preparation before graduating from McDowell High School. They can add to our courses by taking Career and College Promise courses at McDowell Technical Community College and participate in an internship or pre-apprenticeship. Students who take advantage of these opportunities graduate CAREER READY! If you are interested in learning more about any of these pathways, reach out to the teacher, a school counselor or the Career Development Coordinator, Kendall Waugh. Our goal is that EVERY STUDENT GRADUATES WITH A PLAN FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE and it can be achieved with CTE!

Students in middle school can begin taking courses to determine what they want to continue when they come to McDowell High School.