Learning & Leading with CTE

February marks CTE Month, and we’re thrilled to announce that Arizona’s Governor has officially proclaimed February as CTE Month in our state! This is a time to celebrate the transformative power of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and its critical role in shaping students’ futures and strengthening our workforce.

Since its inception in 1984, CTE Month has spotlighted the value of hands-on learning, career readiness, and workforce development. Today, CTE continues to equip students with both technical and academic skills, providing them with the tools they need to thrive in high-demand careers—while driving Arizona’s economy forward.

Here in Arizona, CTE delivers real results, including impressive graduation rates, alignment with workforce needs, and significant postsecondary achievements. Together, we can champion CTE and continue empowering the next generation of skilled professionals in Arizona!

Thank you for attending the 2025 Midwinter Leadership Conference and for contributing to the energy and success of this event! Together, we are advancing Arizona’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) movement to ensure every student has access to the skills and opportunities they need to lead lives of choice. Your participation, from attending sessions to networking with peers and exhibitors, helps to fuel the transformation of Arizona's workforce and economy.

A heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated presenters, exhibitors, and attendees who brought their passion and commitment to the conference. The conversations, knowledge sharing, and connections made here will ripple out across schools, communities, and industries to create lasting impact.

Let’s continue this movement at the 50th Anniversary Arizona CTE Summer Conference, July 10-16, 2025, in Tucson! Together, we will explore innovative solutions, amplify industry partnerships, and shape the future of CTE. Registration opens March 12 – we hope to see you there!

This summer, we are celebrating Half a Century of Empowering the American Dream! Join us from July 10-16, 2025, in Tucson for the 50th Annual ACTEAZ/ADE AZ CTE Summer Conference – a landmark event honoring the impact of CTE in Arizona and beyond.

For 50 years, this conference has been the heartbeat of CTE in Arizona, bringing together educators, industry leaders, and policymakers to shape the future of workforce development. This year, we are thrilled to announce that Arizona’s own Dr. John Mulcahy – ”a CTE evangelist, lifelong educator, and national award-winning leader” will deliver the keynote address, “What You Do Matters.”

John’s passion for CTE is unmatched. He’ll inspire us with powerful research and real-world local success stories, proving that CTE changes lives, strengthens communities, and fuels economic growth.

Let’s come together as a CTE Family to honor our legacy and build the future. Register in March and be part of this historic celebration!

President Jim Grieshaber has made a significant impact during his term by prioritizing outreach to rural schools and empowering CTE programs. He has led efforts to facilitate discussions on securing industry partnerships, enhancing work-based learning opportunities, and increasing advisory council participation. These conversations have resulted in actionable takeaways that will shape future updates to ACTEAZ’s website resources and be shared with the Arizona Department of Education to improve statewide CTE initiatives.

Jim had the opportunity to visit several rural schools, including Pinon High School, Gila Bend High School, Baboquivari High School, and Rio Rico High School. Each visit showcased the thriving CTE programs, from agriculture and automotive to culinary and law enforcement. The warm hospitality and dedication of CTE staff were evident, providing students with hands-on learning experiences that lead to college and career readiness.

Jim encourages business partners to continue supporting rural schools with work-based learning opportunities. No matter the distance or population, all students deserve the chance to succeed through CTE.

ACTEAZ’s journey through Tucson was nothing short of inspiring, as we witnessed firsthand the incredible impact of CTE students and educators. Our day began at Sunnyside High School, where students showcased their financial literacy skills, budgeting for life after high school—an essential real-world lesson in managing monthly expenses. This hands-on experience truly reflects the teaching excellence of Ana Danehy, the 2024 Legendary Teacher Award recipient.

Next, we ventured to Desert View High School, where students shared how CTSO projects and leadership development were shaping their futures, including one student who started her own business!

At Education Professions, students applied geometry lessons to create engaging elementary lesson plans, bridging complex academic concepts with practical teaching. Hector Reyes And Elizabeth Skeggs purposefully prepare students for carer pathways with authentic work-based learning experiences.

The Sonoran Spirit thrives through the work of dedicated educators like Ana, Elizabeth, and Hector, who are empowering students to build brighter, career-ready futures in Arizona!

CTE is all about opening doors to opportunity, and My Future AZ is making that vision a reality for students across Arizona. Just ask this Tucson 11th grader:

“After taking the My Future AZ Career Quiz, I learned that I need to do a job that lets me use my hands and build. I matched with construction and manufacturing, which is cool because I’m taking a welding class at school! My Future AZ helped me see that careers I want are more accessible than I thought. I’m excited about exploring what’s next for me.”

This powerful student story is just one example of how My Future AZ is helping learners explore career options, connect with local training programs, and plan for a bright future.

My Future AZ is also thrilled to announce a new alliance between Pipeline Connects and the Arizona Education Economic Commission (AEEC) to expand career pathways across the state. See the press release HERE.

Contact info@pipelineaz.com to make the student designed futures more accessible!

ACTEAZ is proud to celebrate the incredible talent displayed in our first-ever CTE Month Poster Contest! This contest provided students across Arizona with the opportunity to apply their graphic arts skills and creativity, showcasing their unique voices in a real-world application. Graphic arts are an essential communication skill that fosters connection, inspires thought, and represents a key aspect of career readiness.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to every student who participated, as the creativity and talent we saw was truly inspiring. The level of skill demonstrated in each submission blew us away!

After a highly competitive contest, we are thrilled to announce the winners:

Congratulations to our winners and all participants for your exceptional work! Your passion and creativity are a testament to the bright future of CTE and the graphic arts field. Keep inspiring the world!

Arizona CTE professionals, your insights and expertise are needed at upcoming national conferences!

NCLA’s new Executive Director, Rachael Mann, is excited to include AZ voices at the Best Practices and Innovation Conference, happening Sept. 24–26 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, Missouri. NCLA is seeking session proposals to strengthen the field for CTE administrators of both secondary and postsecondary CTE programs and institutions. The deadline to submit presentation proposals is Feb. 28. Submit HERE.

This is your opportunity to elevate Arizona’s CTE leaders and share the impactful work being done in our state. Submit your session proposal today and contribute to shaping the future of CTE!

This premier gathering offers specialized professional development tailored for WBL professionals.

Date: April 2-4, 2025

Where: Bellevue, WA

Visit: https://s1.goeshow.com/acte/wblc/2025/index.cfm

Date: April 30-May 3, 2025

Where: Las Vegas, NV

Visit: https://sites.google.com/view/regionv2025/home?authuser=0

Visit the CTE Curriculum Connection for resources crafted for your CTE program including:

• Blueprints and Instructional Frameworks
• Instructional Terminology and Benchmark Assessments
• Scope and Sequence and Task Analysis
• Curricular Courses, Units, Projects, and Lessons
• Professional Skills, Academic Integration, and Career Literacy Resources

Visit ACOVA at acova.org for information on the following upcoming events and highlights:

Upcoming Mentoring Minutes

• CLNA Best Practices
• February 18, 2025
• 2:30pm-3:30pm
• Hosted by Gina Schmitz from AZ ADE
• CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Spirit of ACOVA Nominations-https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScj38IY73CBUd5lLQknUCyjWn1oq4UjZykH1NKhcTgbsfS9fA/viewform

Board Member Elections for 2025-2026

• 2 Member at Large
• 1 President Elect
• 1 Treasurer

*Email your bio and headshot to jscroham@jocobs.org before March 31st.

If you missed a previous issue, you can find past newsletters on our website here: