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A Letter to Those Involved in ATC Training, September 10, 11, and 12, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008 I have been working along with our local college partners to provide a great ATC training on September 10, 11, and 12, 2008. Because it has been such a busy time of year, we are still working to finalize the list of courses that will be provided at the training. Therefore, we have prepared a list of courses that will be available for the training rather than a final registration form. You can be assured that the courses included will be provided at the training in September (look in the Download Section on our home page). However, as I mentioned earlier we are still working to provide more courses in the training. Therefore, we are not going to make the registration form available until early July.
Please check on our website www.techpreprgv.com in early July to download the ATC training registration form. I will also be emailing the registration form to those who are registered in the CATEMA system.
I cannot guarantee that any more courses will be added, but we will surely try. If a course that you need is not listed below, please make plans to attend an alternative training.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to providing you a wonderful ATC training!!
Sincerely,
Belinda Torres
Tech Prep Seeks First Generation Program Staff
Thursday, June 12, 2008 Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley is currently inviting applications for two positions that are available through a grant of Workforce Investment Act funds provided by Cameron Works, Inc., the workforce development board serving Cameron County. Applications must be made through the Human Resources office of Texas State Technical College Harlingen. Interested applicants are encouraged to go to this Internet address and apply for position(s) of interest (see descriptions below):
http://www.harlingen.tstc.edu/Jobs/TSTCJobs.aspx
Coordinator - Special Projects
102614 - Part Time (50%) High school diploma or GED with post secondary course work in a related field; three years experience in business management or record keeping, human relations, counseling, or human development programs. Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality in all aspects of job. Must have a valid driver's license, be insurable in accordance with TSTC's requirements, and have own transportation for travel to Rio Grande Valley. Must be computer literate, including working knowledge of software programs utilized by Tech Prep (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint. The First Generation Special Projects Coordinator is a staff position that will provide support for the First Generation In-School Program, in particular the Cameron County Youth Coalition being developed to benefit participants in that program. Will perform other duties as assigned. Minimum Salary: $932/month
Program Maintenance Specialist
102615 - Full Time High school diploma or GED. Associate degree preferred; may consider experience in lieu of degree. The First Generation Assistant is a staff position that will provide support for the First Generation In School Youth Program. Duties include but are not limited to working with students, parents, educators, and public and private sector professionals and other duties as assigned. Excellent verbal and written communications skills in both English and Spanish and organizational ability plus critical thinking skills are essential. Must be able to maintain strict confientiality in all aspects of job. Must be able to communicate effectively in English and in Spanish. Must have a valid Texas Driver's License, be insurable in accordance with TSTC requirements, and have own transportation for travel to Rio Grande Valley. Working knowledge of software programs utilized by Tech Prep (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Micrsoft PowerPoint.) Minimum Salary: $1,864/month
Scholarship Winners for 2008 Named
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley is proud to announce the winners of the Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Tech Prep Scholarship:
Three Harlingen South High School students won scholarships in this year's competition:
Thomas C. Sanchez won a $4,000 scholarship to TSTC Harlingen.
Mia Aguilar received a $3,000 scholarship to The University of Pan American.
April Michelle Juarez won a $3,000 scholarship to The University of Texas at Brownsville (she had completed an associate degree by the time she graduated from high school!).
The final recipient came from San Benito High School. The $400 United Launch Alliance Engineering Scholarship was awarded to Rene Cardona of San Benito. Rene plans to attend Texas A&M Kingsville.
See the "featured students" section of our website to find our more details on these talented recipients.
Michelle Galvez Is in the Spotlight for Making Use of Her Options
Monday, April 28, 2008 Tech Prep Texas Scholar Michelle Galvez, a 2006 graduate of Los Fresnos High School, was honored in a Valley Morning Star newspaper article on April 15, 2008, for landing a job that pays $50,000 a year. Galvez, 20, is earning an Associate of Applied Science degree in Chemical Environmental Technology at Texas State Technical College, but will complete her last semester while working at Formosa Plastics Corp. in Point Comfort, Texas.
Michelle describes her job this way: "At Formosa Plastics, I am in the Analytical Lab Department and I test the process water for contaminants. The process plants are the areas where they create the plastics or polymers. All of the water they use becomes waste, and I test it before they deposit it into the Port Lavaca Bay in between Point Comfort and Port Lavaca." Michelle Galvez is protecting the environment with her work. That's an important job for a high-achieving young lady!
Galvez won a $4,000 Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Tech Prep Scholarship to TSTC in 2006 and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She has volunteered as a peer mentor, served as the Student Government secretary and danced with the TSTC dance team. “I’m determined. If you want something bad enough, you go for it. You go for your goal,” Galvez said.
According to The Slice of Life article in the Valley Morning Star, Galvez won the job over candidates with master’s degrees. She was quoted as saying she wanted to inspire high school students to continue in their education, wherever they go. “Just because they come to a technical college does not necessarily mean they will make less money than someone with their bachelor’s degree.”
“I’m determined. If you want something bad enough, you go for it. You go for your goal,” Galvez said.
Counselor of the Year Presentation January 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008 Counselors play tremendous roles of great responsibility working with students in our Public schools. Counselors are responsible for planning and implementing comprehensive development guidance and counseling programs and making sure that students receive the services they need while working on content areas such as development of students’ self-confidence, motivation to achieve, decision-making, and other areas, including but not limited to responsible behavior. Tech Prep began honoring some of the hard-working counselors from our region almost 10 years ago. It has been our pleasure over the years to honor hard-working, dedicated, student-focused individuals who are promoting Tech Prep’s programs and services at the same time they are working hard to be a positive influence in the lives of students in our schools.
It therefore gives me great pleasure to present this year’s award for our Tech Prep High School Counselor of the Year. This individual was nominated by a colleague. Let me share with you what this individual had to say about our recipient:
She has worked at our school district for 4 years and has accumulated 23 total years of service as a counselor. This person is efficient, punctual, thorough and very compassionate towards the students. Among all of the individual’s duties, this person serves as a guidance counselor to the Early College High School students, a partner in the 21st Century Project Career Awareness Program, and the leader of the Tech Prep Support Team (S-TEAM) for Hidalgo ISD. This is a woman that everyone in the school can depend upon and she gets things done! This individual also participates in professional development to improve skills related to the job assignment. She keeps up on the latest changes in her field and rises to the many challenges of her multi-faceted job.
Our award recipient always maintains a positive and effective relationship with supervisors. She communicates effectively with colleagues, students, and parents and models behavior that is professional, ethical, and responsible. In closing, the nomination states that this individual is a loyal, valued co-worker, whose opinions are sought; whose insight is far reaching and whose dependability is unwavering.
The nomination tells many more wonderful things—more than we have the time to share here.
This individual was nominated by Santos Perez, 21st Century Project Director, Hidalgo Independent School District. Please help me welcome Debra McKenna, Counselor, Hidalgo High School, Hidalgo ISD, our 2008 Tech Prep High School Counselor of the Year!
Debra McKenna, Counselor, Hidalgo High School, Hidalgo ISD, our 2008 Tech Prep High School Counselor of the Year
ATC Teachers Help High School Students Earn College Credits
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Students registered for dual-enrollment credit in Harlingen South High School’s Accounting I and II courses have discovered that the work is more rigorous than a typical high school class.
“Yes, it’s more demanding and faster paced work.,” said Joy Hoeflinger, Career & Technology Education teacher. “But I tell the students, “the encouraging part is that you did it. You did college level work.’” Hoeflinger has earned Advanced Technical Credit certification and follows a specified curriculum to put the accounting courses on par with community college courses. “If students take advantage of dual enrollment, the opportunities are fantastic.”
Tech Prep students and all other high school students who pass a dual enrollment course receive college credit for the course without having to pay college tuition. The dual enrollment moves each student one course closer to college graduation while still in high school.
“Dual credit is new on the scene. It’s taking off like gangbusters,” Hoeflinger said. “It’s wonderful for students. If they do well, they have already started their college transcripts. They have proven they are good college students which helps them secure financial aid.”
Recently Hoeflinger was one of 14 Texas high school and college instructors who assembled in Houston for a curriculum alignment process of finance and accounting courses. “It was a collaboration to bring the material used in high schools up to date and to see what the demands of business are now,” she said. The alignment makes sure the high school course covers the same material and challenges the student in the same way as the equivalent college course. For example, TSTC faculty comes to Hoeflinger’s classroom to observe and confirm the courses are being taught on a college level.
In an older and slightly different program, students are eligible for advanced technical credit for specific Advanced Technical Credit classes simply by going online and registering for ATC, Hoeflinger said. Their transcripts are marked that they took those courses. The hours are “banked” and applied to the college transcript after the student’s completes the first college semester.
High schools are adding more dual enrollment classes. Next year Hoeflinger said some of the classes in her department will be strictly dual credit.
“Students are required to use their minds to succeed in these dual enrollment classes,” she said. But they are also developing the study skills they need to succeed in college.
For more information on college courses free of tuition charges, call Tech Prep of the RGV at 956-364-4509.
Exciting Competition for 8th - 10th Grades
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Are you looking for something exciting to motivate your students career interest? There is an great opportunity coming up and I would like to encourage you to have your students join the class to class competition known as The Whyville Texas Challenge. This challenge has the students compete in educational games to earn virtual clams. This is a great career exploration tool aimed to interest students in careers that are relevant to Texas. It exposes students to the interesting work involved in the biotechnical and advanced manufacturing careers.
Winning classes receive prizes that can include in-class science kits, classroom equipment, and training/conference opportunities for teachers. Competition starts April 28, 2008.
Please visit www.why-texas.com for more details.
Mentor Matters: Making a Difference in Students’ Futures
Monday, March 24, 2008 Harlingen....It made a difference to Tony Fraga that he was the first in his family to go to college a generation ago. That’s why, in 2003, the Keys Academy math teacher in Harlingen became a mentor in Tech Prep’s First Generation program. “I felt a connection with the concept,” said Fraga, who had had a successful career in engineering.
“I like the challenge, and I was already working with students at risk,” he explained. Each year he has mentored 10 students at the alternative school, helping Tech Prep students realize they, too, could be the ones who are the first generation of their families to go to college.
Fraga has kept in close contact with those students after they graduate from Keys. “They come by and let me know how they’re doing. Some are local and some have left the Valley.” The young adults tell Fraga of the impact his mentorship and the Tech Prep First Generation program had on their lives.
Fraga sees parallels between Keys’ flexible program which accommodated students as individuals and the Tech Prep program with its supportive staff.
“I’m very proud of the programs. In First Generation, we make the students aware of college and their opportunities,” he said. Through speakers on careers, financial aid workshops, and the Go Center’s invaluable collection of information on colleges and resources, the students come to realize their futures are practically limitless. Fraga said the results are in: in a recent college-collegiate competition, the mentored Tech Prep kids from Keys Academy took home 5 of the 10 prizes for their mastery of skills including essay writing, filling out financial aid packages and pre-SAT testing.
“It showed that our students are pretty well-informed and prepared to go to college,” Fraga said.
Besides teaching and mentoring. Fraga, who is the father of 8 and 10 year old boys, coaches basketball, soccer, and T-ball. “I’m pulled by little ones in one direction and by the teens in another.”
This remarkable mentor continues to guide and motivate young adults to continue their education and to achieve their dreams. He knows from experience how necessary education is to build a better future.
Job Shadowing Tech Prep Students Get a Glimpse of the Future
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 By Eileen Mattei
Harlingen ... Los Fresnos High School seniors Katie Vega, John Vela, and Rose Jordan had no idea that being a hospital’s dietician could be so interesting or so vital for patients’ health. But spending a morning at Harlingen Medical Center job shadowing Registered Dietician Candice Woodin enlightened and excited the Tech Prep students. It also demonstrated that seeing a professional at work in a student’s field of interest can have a tremendous impact.
“The dietician actually goes around the hospital and checks on patients,” said Vela, whose medical interests are in nutrition and pharmacy. “What she fills out for patients is very specific. It’s really cool.”
Woodin began the Tech Prep day describing the different nutritional requirements of various types of patients along with the complexities of medical feeding. She told them about the nutrition concerns for patients with liver, heart, kidney and respiratory problems. Woodin also detailed the educational foundation needed to become a dietician.
At a nursing station in the hospital, where Woodin had stopped after a patient consultation, one student expressed surprise on the dietician’s active involvement in patient recovery. “I didn’t know dieticians were so involved,” Katie Vega said.. Although she had completed a course in Health Science Technology for college credit, it took being in hospital to illustrate what lies ahead as she pursues a career in nutrition.
The three were among 31 Los Fresnos seniors job shadowing at Harlingen Medical Center. Most had completed Tech Prep courses in medical terminology or pharmacy. “Those courses are very helpful because they give them a head start,” said teacher Monica Ramos. The head start gives students college credits for approved technical high school courses, saving time and tuition fees in college.
Harlingen Medical Center Registered Dietician Candice Woodin introduced Los Fresnos High School seniors Rose Jordan, Katie Vega, and John Vela to a nutritionist's work during Tech Prep Job Shadowing Day.
Stephanie Rico intends to become a pathologist, so the morning she spent job shadowing in the HMC lab whetted her appetite for further study. After viewing red blood cells through a microscope and being shown how to determine the various blood types, Stephanie asked to see white blood cells. Medical Technologist Joe Perez obliged by setting up a slide under a lab microscope and talking to her about the changes in cells she was observing.
Rico, who has taken the Tech Prep pharmacology course, was enthusiastic about being inside a working lab. “I know that I don’t want to do something that gets repetitive. I want to have a career where you have to figure things out.”
Job Shadowing Day at Harlingen Medical Center allowed Los Fresnos student Stephanie Rico to study slides in the hospital lab
Students in Respiratory Therapy, Pediatrics, Day Surgery, and the Operating room all were given glimpses of what their future could look like. “I saw a lot more than I expected to see and learn,’ said one Los Fresnos senior.
Los Fresnos High School senior Angie Blankenship spent Tech Prep Job Shadowing Day observing respiratory therapy treatments
The job shadowing experience motivates most students to pursue their dreams. But occasionally one morning in the real world helps a student realize another career path would be more suitable. That’s a positive outcome, too, since it allows the student to avoid wasting time and college fees preparing for an incompatible career.
Learn More About Gaming from Jim Brazell and TSTC
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 TSTC, The IC² Institute and VentureRAMP announced the publication today of, “Gaming: A Technology Forecast”, a major study conducted for the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) by IC² Institute in Austin. This forecast is the third in a series of reports forecasting emerging technologies and the types of technical education programs that are needed to maintain and improve Texas’ economic and technical competitiveness. Jim Brazell of Ventureramp.com was the principal analyst in the research and publication of the Game report which may be found online at http://system.tstc.edu/forecasting/reports/dgames.asp.
“It turns out that gaming is window into the future of media, entertainment, work and learning,” says Jim Brazell, VentureRAMP principal. “In the next 10 years, we will see our concept of cyberspace transformed from web pages and bookmarks to network worlds and new forms of human communication, work and collaboration.” Gaming: A Technology Forecast delves into these ideas and illustrates how gaming is linked to 21st Century Science and an emerging academic revolution called transdisciplinarity.
The highly anticipated forecast covers the game market, industry, technologies, workforce needs, and implications to Texas technical colleges and universities. The report may be of interest to students, teachers, policy makers, economic development officials, academic administrators, game industry businesses and investors.
Highlights of the forecast include predictions related to the global US $50 billion industry: acceleration of network gaming, fueled by next generation “super computer” gaming consoles, broadband, and wireless technologies; relations among gaming and 21st Century science (nano-bio-infor-cognoenviro), design-related industries (industrial design, architecture, instructional design, aerospace, architecture), specialized industries that require transdisciplinary knowledge workers (robotics, IT security, national defense, and homeland security) and education; and San Antonio’s academy model for innovation, education and economic development.
The mandate for TSTC reports came in 1999 from the Texas State Senate in SB1819. In 2001, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provided funding to TSTC to develop a process, later called the Program for Emerging Technologies (PET). Ventureramp is now collaborating with the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) and IC2 Institute to study emerging wireless technologies. The wireless report is expected during the summer of 2004.
About PET
TSTC’s Programs for Emerging Technologies (PET) identifies, evaluates and forecasts potential emerging technology programs which are likely to have a positive impact on the State's economy. This research is intended to increase awareness of specific emerging technical programs and proactively advance the development of applicable high-technology curriculum in Texas community and technical colleges. By doing so, PET hopes to enhance the economic competitiveness of Texas and ensure a competitively skilled workforce for future Texas employers. See www.forecasting.tstc.edu ( http://www.forecasting.tstc.edu/ ) for more information.
About Texas State Technical College
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) is a public coeducational institution of higher education offering courses of study in technical education leading to the award of Certificates and Associate of Applied Science degrees. TSTC also provides technical education and training to business and industry, continuing education to the public, and training programs for community and state economic development. TSTC colleges are located in Harlingen, Marshall, West Texas and Waco with extension centers in Abilene, Brownwood and Breckenridge. TSTC serves students from more than 200 counties in Texas and TSTC graduates begin their careers in high-paying jobs across the state or continue their education at colleges and universities. TSTC graduates are highly valued by business and industry for their work ethic, knowledge, and workplace skills. Texas State Technical Colleges are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award Associate of Applied Science degrees and Certificates of Completion. For more information, visit TSTC on the web at www.tstc.edu ( http://www.tstc.edu/ ) or call (800) 792-8784.
About The IC² Institute
The Institute for Innovation, Creativity, and Capital (IC²) at The University of Texas at Austin is an international, transdisciplinary "Think and Do" tank devoted to solving unstructured problems to accelerate wealth and job creation and shared prosperity at home and abroad. As a research unit, IC² is focused on knowledge exploration, dissemination, and application, across a broad range of academic and applied areas. See the IC² web site www.ic2.org ( http://www.ic2.org/ )for more information.
About VentureRAMP, Inc.
VentureRAMP is a technology commercialization and market research firm based in San Antonio and Austin, TX. The company’s web site is www.ventureramp.com ( http://www.ventureramp.com/ ).
Learn more at USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-02-18-game-developers-conference_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
This article is courtesy of Dr. Barbara Campbell, Director of the Learning Resource Center at TSTC Harlingen.
Past Scholarship Recipient Succeeds as Dental Hygienist
Monday, February 18, 2008 Where Is She Now? Leigh Ann Villarreal
In 2003, a special young lady graduated from Los Fresnos High School. She had a goal and a dream and she has followed it through to completion. In the spring of that year Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley granted Leigh Ann Villarreal a $4,000Lauro F. Cavazos scholarship to help her in her continuing education. The scholarship was useful for tuition and books and other incidentals that occurred during her time at TSTC.
Life was busy as a student. Besides classes and studying, there were two seven-hour clinicals each week. Leigh Ann graduated from TSTC in the spring of 2007 as a Dental Hygienist and was licensed in June. By July of that year she was working in a dental office in her home town. She enjoys sharing her passion for healthy teeth with patients of all ages, but is particularly fond of the children and teens.
Job Shadowing Students See the Future
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 By Eileen Mattei
Job shadowing (spending time with a professional at work) gives Tech Prep students an opportunity to explore their future. Ashley Desiga of Mercedes High School wants a career working with children. Since her options include being a first grade teacher or maybe a pediatrician, Ashley job-shadowed in the pediatrics department at Knapp Medical Center recently. The day didn’t confirm one choice over another, but gave her valuable knowledge and insights.
At the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone, with pallets of bar-coded components towering 30 feet up, Manuel Jones explained to Tech Prep students from Economedes High why handheld computers are essential for a smooth workflow inside the AA Logistics warehouse. “I have no time to be looking for things,” said Jones, employed by the McAllen Economic Development Corp., as he displayed the portable computer. “Everyone has a radio because we have to know what’s going on moment to moment.. We can move the workforce to hot spots at the drop of a dime. Technology has changed the way we work.”
Manuel Jones explained to a Tech Prep student why handheld computers are essential for a smooth workflow.
Tech Prep Students from Economedes High job shadowing at McAllen's Foreign Trade Zone saw the security, technology and administrative sides of the logistics business.
The Economedes students are in a Business Ownership class with teacher Kim Wilke and had taken business management last semester. Jones pointed out that no phones were ringing in the warehouse or administrative offices because clients have real-time access to their shipments online and can track cargo as closely as they want.
The Foreign Trade Zone job shadowing event exposed Tech Prep students to the many facets of business, from the security issues addressed by the Border Patrol’s K-9 members to the technology and administrative sides. “We like the fast pace,” said Sandy Barbosa, MEDC senior logistics coordinator supervisor.” Different challenges come up every day. You have to expect changes.”
Tech Prep senior Jose Garcia admitted being intrigued by the pervasiveness of computers. He might own his own business someday but that’s far enough in the future he can’t predict what he’ll need to know.
At The Monitor in McAllen, La Joya high school junior Eliamar Martinez shadowed Nathan Lambrecht, the paper’s chief photographer. Intent on becoming a fashion photographer, Eliamar benefitted from had the undivided attention and coaching offered by Lambrecht. The professional encouraged her and suggested steps she could take to achieve her goal. He demonstrated the effects of different types of lighting.
Pictured above are student Eliamar Martinez and the Job Shadow Professional, Nathan Lambrecht, chief photographer of the Monitor.
Lambrecht recommended she call on specific local photographers and volunteer her services in order to see the business from the inside. “You be able to pick up details quickly. That will give you a head start in college,” Lambrecht advised her. “It’s not impossible to get into fashion photography,” he noted. “Brides want to be photographed with more of a high fashion look now.”
Eliamar is enrolled in photojournalism and media animation. She studies fashion magazines, just looking at the photos. “For me, it’s how they make the clothes and the person look so beautiful. This taught me about the different sources of light and how to place them. I’ve always liked to take pictures.”
Tech Prep student Eliamar Maritinez's job shadowing experience with the Monitor's chief photographer Nathan Lambrecht brought her a few steps closer to her goal of being a fashion photographer.
Tech Prep assists high school and college students develop and follow proven pathways to technically skilled, in-demand careers.
2008 Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Scholarship Application
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 The Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Scholarship Application and Instructions are now available in Microsoft Word in the Downloads section of this website.
Shane Strubhart Receives 2007 Tech Prep Teacher of the Year Award
Tuesday, December 11, 2007 A teacher who makes a difference in the lives of his students goes beyond the boundaries of a classroom period. Shane Strubhart is this kind of teacher. The instruction he gives is in the career and technology education department at Harlingen South High School, where he teaches computer maintenance. But for Shane, teaching doesn’t end when the bell rings.
Shane Strubhart has opened a chapter of Skills USA and his students have competed and advanced to the state level in Networking and Computer Maintenance, as well as in leadership competition. In 2006 and 2007, he had students advance to the Skills USA National competition, and one student placed 5th in the nation in 2007.
This outstanding teacher also started a Rocket Club last year. The students in the Harlingen High School South Rocket Club competed against 700 clubs nationwide and became one of the “Top 100” competing at the national level. These students went on to be one of the “Top 25” teams in the nation, qualifying them for NASA’s Student Launch Initiative program. This would never have happened without the dedicated leadership provided by this outstanding teacher.
Shane Strubhart’s background prepared him to be dynamic in the classroom. He has completed the type of education experiences we promote in Tech Prep, moving from a technical associate degree from TSTC into a BS in applied technology from UTB. He also has industry experience in the field, and he brings this package of education and real-world experience into the classroom as he works with his students.
It is a pleasure for Tech Prep to recognize outstanding individuals like Shane Strubhart with a “Tech Prep Teacher of the Year” award. We are grateful that Joy Hoeflinger, Career and Technology Department Chair at Harlingen High School South, nominated Shane so that we could have the pleasure of presenting him with this honor!
Teacher of the Year: Shane Strubhart
2007 Teacher of the Year, Shane Strubhart, is recognized
during the Regional Conference
Informative, Motivational and Timely Presentations made at the Regional Conference
Friday, December 7, 2007 The 2007 Tech Prep Regional Conference was held on November 27-28 at the South Padre Island Convention Center. The conference featured keynote presenters Cesar Maldonado, P.E., PMP, Jim Brazell, Cliff Zintgraff, Sofia Hernandez, and Dominique Halaby, D.P.A. There were over 20 different breakout sessions available to the conference participants.
The powerpoint presentations for the keynote and/or breakout sessions are now available in our download section.
Tech Prep Regional Conference: "Accelerating Success by Sharing Initiatives"
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The 2007 Tech Prep Regional Conference addressed the primary issue head-on: “Preparing our Region for Global Competition.” Held at the South Padre Island Convention Center, the conference drew a crowd of business leaders, teachers, counselors and administrators to learn about initiatives that direct students to in-demand careers.
Organized by Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley, the conference is a collaborative effort of partners that share the goal of graduating students prepared for today’s rapidly changing workplaces. Partners include the T-STEM Center at Region One Education Service Center, the new Rio Grande Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization (Rio Grande RCIC), and the Valley’s P-16 leadership. Tech Prep S-Teams shared their Best Practices and program successes. Emerging technology researcher Jim Brazell sees tremendous opportunities growing as the Valley booms. “What is changing is the nature of work and the kind of money that qualified people earn. How do we have to change to increase the options for students?“ he asked conference attendees. For Brazell, Career and Technology Education (CTE) is the answer to the fast-paced evolution of science and technology spurred by the global economy. “CTE is geared to be relevant for the workforce. CTE is really the answer to tomorrow’s education.” Brazell’s message of The Future is Here requires the strengthening of links between education, the workforce and economic development. The current changes in knowledge transfer present opportunities to raise skill levels of the workforce and thereby increase wages in the Rio Grande Valley.
Businessman and Tech Prep Board Chairman Cesar Maldonado offered an analysis of the real world where businesses are seeking skilled employees for most positions. “The business community wants more productive people coming into the workforce," he explained. That expectation can create friction between businesses and educational institutions. Yet, the biggest driver of economic development is the literacy rate of the community, Maldonado says. Knowledgeable, skilled employees create wealth for the community. A prime workforce is more crucial, more valuable for a business, both short and long term, than any development incentives.
Intermediaries, like Tech Prep, are helping schools shape their curricula and make what students learn relevant to the workplace. “Tech Prep cuts through to the layer where things are happening. Intermediaries can speed up the process, if they have the will to change.” Tech Prep is carrying the vision forward, while the educational system gradually recognizes the new playing field their students are walking onto.
At Valley View ISD, the S-Team uses Parent Business Day to make students aware of jobs and businesses in their community. The parent-business owners who come to the campus also are introduced to the school district’s technical resources that can help promote the family-owned businesses.
From Sharyland High School’s video presentation on selected career pathways and Los Fresnos’ success in work-based learning programs to dual enrollment summer bridge programs and work-study mentorship college programs, the conference offered proven innovations that could be applied throughout the region to guide more and more students into skilled, well-paying jobs through advanced training.
In a 50-year span, the American workforce has shifted from 60% unskilled to 65% skilled. Knowledge skills increase earning potential. Top-performing high schools today recognize the importance of the integration of academia and CTE.
L to R: Cesar Maldonado, Tech Prep RGV Board Chair, Pat Bubb, Tech Prep Executive Director and Linda Fossen, UT-Brownsville, Associate Vice President for Enrollment
Valley View High School S-Team Members
La Feria High School Girls Sweep Tech Prep Essay Contest
Thursday, November 8, 2007 The 2007 Career and Education Expo made a definite impression on three La Feria Tech Prep students who attended the annual event held at TSTC. Kimberly Brandt, Pearl Casares and Emily Ratliff wrote essays for the Expo Student competition describing the impact of the event on their educational and career plans. Their winning submissions earned them a total of $325 in Best Buy gift certificates.
Kimberly Brandt wants to follow in the footsteps of “a teacher who brought joy to all her students” as she helps “shape the minds of young children.” At the Expo, Kimberly talked to representative of several colleges and considered options that kept her closer to home and spending less on fees. TSTC’s Associates Degree program would let her transfer credits to a university after she completed basic courses close to home.
“I left the EXPO reassured that I would be able to find a college that would suit my needs and prepare me for my chosen career.” What appealed to her most was Texas A&M Kingsville which offered intellectually challenging courses, closer to home and more affordable. “Thanks to Expo I can finally check the box on my to do list that says, ‘Plan Future.’”
Kimberly’s essay won first place and Emily Ratliff won second place.
Emily Ratliff’s plans to attend Texas A&M College Station and major in biochemistry were reinforced when she went to EXPO 2007. The TAMU “counselors were very helpful, answering all of my questions and explaining everything very thoroughly.” A Chemical and Biotechnology Engineering instructor at TSTC encouraged her with the information that “I will be able to pursue many different career pathways with that major.” Emily intends to stay open to the many opportunities that life presents.
A desire to help others in their time of need led Pearl Cazares to plan a future in nursing. As an R.N., she hopes to work at Valley Baptist Medical Center or at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. Pearl, who is enrolled in a Tech Prep CNA course, found valuable information about the nursing field at the 2007 Expo. “Not only were there several universities containing very interesting nursing programs, but I also found several health care agencies who are willing to hire me as a CNA.” She learned more useful information about the nursing field through answers to her questions. Pearl, who will attend UTB/TSC next summer, won third place in the essay contest.
Oscar Villarreal is the girls’ counselor at La Feria High School.
Each entrant in Tech Prep’s EXPO Essay contest could see how Tech Prep provided access to the information necessary to make an informed decision about education and career plans.
Essay winners: Pearl, Cazares, Kimberly Brandt, and Emily Ratliff
La Feria students Pearl Cavazos, Emily Ratliff, and Kimberly Brandt are being honored for their achievements. Their winning submissions earned them a total of $325 in Best Buy gift certificates.
Tech Prep Students Learn Problem-Solving Skills in RGV BEST Robotics Event
Friday, November 2, 2007 Tech Prep RGV co-hosted the first BEST Robotics competition held in the Valley with participating high school students demonstrating their achievements at the main event on October 20 on the University of Texas Pan Am campus.
Each year, BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) Robotics challenges students to use set components to build a robot capable of being maneuvered by remote-control drivers through a series of movements. This year’s task required designing and building a robot able to ascend a ramp, pick up one or more plastic bottles and/or boxes, descend the ramp and place the items in a bin. The 2007 BEST teams of up to 15 students came from eight border-area high schools: Brownsville Porter, Harlingen, Edinburg Career and Technology Center, La Joya, Raymondville, San Benito, Weslaco and Magnet school for Engineering and Technology Applications (M.E.T.A.), Laredo.
In addition to the Robot competition, the teams may compete for the BEST Award. In this competition, the teams are judged and awarded points in five categories, which ranked in order of descending point value, are: Project engineering notebook, oral presentation, table display and interviews, spirit and sportsmanship, and robot performance.
“The students decide whether to compete in one or both categories, but they all have to turn in a Project Engineering notebook to compete in the robot competition” said Ray Anzaldua, Tech Prep’s Manufacturing specialist. He and Horacio Vasquez, a UTPA assistant professor of mechanical engineering, co-directed the event which drew over 150 robotics enthusiasts.
The students learn about robotics and remote controlling during the competition, but they also learn about documenting their procedures and the value of problem-solving under pressure. The teams had to deal with malfunctioning components and re-rigging underperforming equipment in between the preliminary 12 rounds.
“We managed with the tools we had brought,” explained Marco Munoz of Edinburg. That team, which was mentored by Anzaldua for six weeks, decided their best option was to concentrate on moving boxes because of their robot design.
But while robot performance is important, the other categories carried more weight with the judges. The Edinburg team, clad in matching Robot day tee-shirts, won the Founders Award for the best engineered robot and the most robust robot, requiring the fewest repairs.
Harlingen High’s team, which had four “drivers,” successfully designed and built their robot to lift bottles, but it experienced problems placing them into the bin. “We modified the robot after each round,” said Marriam McClure, team secretary. “It’s a weight issue. The bottles are not empty and are heavier than we planned on.” The Harlingen team, which was mentored by pre-engineering teacher Paul Tenison and Ray Anzaldua, placed third in the competition.
By the end of the day, M.E.T.A.-Laredo had won first place in both presentation and the robotics competition. Weslaco High School took second place. Both schools are headed to BEST Robotics state competition in Lubbock in November.
First Generation: Learning Skills to Get into College.... and Stay There
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Learning Skills to Get into College.... and Stay There
How would you respond to instructions to have your group of four walk around an obstacle course? Not hard, right?
What if your team were placed back to back and bound together with wide plastic wrap and then had to complete the obstacle course? KEYS Academy Tech Prep students were given the instructions only once and then had to navigate the course, looking like an eight-legged, four-brained creature.
“It’s not as easy as it looks when you’re sitting down,” First Generation Specialist Melinda Morales agreed.
The plastic wrap exercise clearly showed the Tech Prep students that a lack of communication leads to confusion and sometimes annoyance. Some teams acknowledged a leader who told them which way to move. Others dragged the team around or had no member in charge.
The exercise in leadership demonstrated that people working together need to know what they are trying to accomplish and then communicate what they are doing to achieve the goal. Morales said to ask questions and confirm you are doing the task correctly is a reasonable and mature approach to a problem. “Businesses look for a good team player, someone who will help them accomplish their goals. They want to hire someone who is willing to try to go the extra mile, someone who can get along with others.”
Cassandra Solis said that taking the initiative, leading and doing more than told to, has helped her advance at a part-time job. A senior, she plans to become an R.N. and will attend TSTC for her basics.
“At KEYS, it’s different. You have to work and want to be better,” said Amanda Ramirez after participating in the exercise. She is one student aiming for a bright future with the help of First Generation she plans to get a master’s degree in Forensic Medicine from George Washington University. Currently she is the first KEYS student to be taking pre-calculus at Harlingen High School.
Tech Prep’s First Generation students gain experience facing challenges in their monthly Tech Prep sessions. Coming from families where their parents didn’t attend college, the students have the opportunity with Tech Prep to learn life lessons about leadership and team work that can help them get into, and be successful in, college.
“Lots of the kids here are future leaders,” said math instructor and Tech Prep liaison, Tony Fraga. “Tech Prep helps them enhance those qualities and polish their skills.”
Sonia Esquivel applied to the First Generation program with a clear goal in her mind. “No one in my family has graduated. I want to be the first to graduate from college.”
Students are learning about leadership and teamwork the hard way!
Feedback during a follow-up session.
Participants pictured with Melinda Morales,First-Generation Specialist and Evelyn Gonzalez, First-Generation Assistant.
Regional Conference Set for November 27-28
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley is pleased to announce its 2007 regional conference, PREPARING OUR REGION FOR GLOBAL COMPETITION: INTEGRATING INITIATIVES FOR ACCELERATED SUCCESSES, which will be held at the South Padre Island Convention Center on November 27-28, 2007.
Several organizations are co-sponsoring this event with Tech Prep RGV, as follows:
* Lower Rio Grande P-16 Council
* Region One Education Service Center T-STEM (Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Center
* Rio Grande Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization (Rio Grande RCIC), a project of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund
The conference features Jim Brazell, who is an orator focusing on 21st century science, technology and society. Since 2004, Jim Brazell has addressed many organizations and conferences including the California Community College Economic and Workforce Development Program, The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, Texas Industry Cluster Initiative, the U.S. Army Morale Welfare and Recreation Conference, the National Security Agency, the National School Boards Association, the Texas Economic Development Council, the Texas Workforce Commission, the Norwegian Digital Learning Landscapes Conference, the World Congress on Information Technology and the Chautauqua Institute.
Jim Brazell’s message is powerful. We are living in the tectonic shift between the information age and the age of re-creation. In this new age, humans have the power to re-design life, to mimic biology, to redefine what it is to be human.
What choices will we make?
Since 1995, Jim has entertained, motivated and captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. Whether you are an executive, an educator, a student, a workforce board member, an economic developer, an employer or a parent, Jim has a message for us all: THE FUTURE IS HERE!
Priority registration date is November 9.
To learn more or to register for the conference, visit the Downloads section of this website.
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