A message from Career Ready PA
Please seek out new opportunities for learners and educators on the Career Ready PA Coalition webpage. Students and families will find career awareness opportunities to experience with one of our many stakeholders!
Don't forget that our Career Ready PA regional liaisons are here to support you with training and resources. If you don't know your region, you can use the regions map located on the Career Ready PA page.
And, for upcoming events, join the Career Readiness Learning Community on SAS. The Career Ready Liaisons are constantly adding statewide events.
- Resources are available at SAS for Career Readiness.
- Join our Career Readiness Learning Community. (PDE SAS login is required.)
- Career Ready PA is PDE’s source for guidance and resources.
Remake Learning Days Festival, May 4-22, 2024 - Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge
This year’s Remake Learning Days festival reached 7 regions across Pennsylvania, as the festival expanded with the support of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and agency partners at the Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, and Labor & Industry. Nearly 900 events took place statewide, including 568 Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge events. Each year the festival engages parents, caregivers, families, students, and community members in a joyful learning festival with hands-on and engaging events designed for kids of all ages at libraries, schools, tech centers, athletic and agricultural “fields,” museums and more.
The Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge offers schools the opportunity for students to earn artifacts for their career portfolios through participation in the Challenge, earning over 5800 artifacts statewide! Paxtang and Rutherford Elementary Schools in the Central Dauphin School District earned two banners, a total of 442 artifacts, under the direction of school librarian, Karyn Bashore! Congratulations!
Also exciting, this year, the discoverED catapult virtual “live” challenge was included as a Backpack Challenge event, with students in grades K-2 participating with 101 schools across PA. Out of the participants, 15 schools were banner winners! Leading the way was Enfield Elementary with 351 artifacts—congratulations!
Keystone Scholars
Keystone Scholars is Pennsylvania’s statewide Children’s Savings Account (CSA) program. It sets the expectation at birth for every child in Pennsylvania to pursue some form of post-high school education by providing a $100 automatic, at-birth investment for higher education savings to every child born or adopted by Pennsylvania residents on or after January 1, 2019. Money can be used between the ages of 18-29 for postsecondary expenses, including vocational and technical schools, qualified apprenticeships, 2–4-year college and graduate school programs.
For more information, and to register please visit the Keystone Scholars registration page.
What's So Cool About Manufacturing
Students across Pennsylvania participated in the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing (WSCM) video contest again this year. Developed by Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), the WSCM program is a video-based educational tool that increases awareness of career paths and technology in manufacturing through "peer marketing" (kids telling kids what's so cool about manufacturing jobs). The contest is showcased on the What’s So Cool Website and shared nationally through the Manufacturing Institute and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership platforms.
SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Series Competition & Masonry Education Day
SPEC MIX invites educators and students interested in the field of masonry, construction, and materials management to the inaugural SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Western Pennsylvania Regional Series Competition. Educators and students will be provided the opportunity to visit learning sessions to gain information about the masonry field, visit vendors, have hands-on experiences, and observe the contest. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required for us to provide a head count for lunch.
2024 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Western Pennsylvania Regional Series Competition Flyer.
Upcoming Conference!
The Pennsylvania Department of Education's 2024 SAS Institute,
Purposeful Leadership: Support. Empower. Partner,
is scheduled for December 8-11, 2024, at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
PDE encourages educators to submit proposals highlighting programs and initiatives addressing topics impacting our schools and students positively. To submit a proposal, go to 2024 SAS Institute Request for Proposals.
Proposal submission deadline: August 16, 2024.
