Education & Career Expo 2007 Set for Sept 20 in Harlingen
Thursday, May 3, 2007

SAVE THE DATE! The 2007 Education & Career Expo will be held in Harlingen on Thursday, September 20, 2007. The Education and Career EXPO is a community-wide effort by a consortium of private and public leaders whose goal is to bring awareness of available educational and employment options right here in the Rio Grande Valley to our students to encourage them to stay in school, get a good education, and compete successfully for careers that pay well enough to improve their quality of life. It is everybody’s civic duty to help the future workforce chart a career course by providing relevant and accurate information on how to achieve that goal. Make plans now to become involved! To learn more, view the video of Expo 2006 at this link: http://dit.harlingen.tstc.edu/expo2007

Tech Prep Showcase Students to Compete in National Event
Thursday, April 19, 2007

A project that earned three San Benito High School girls the Gold Medal in the Law and Protective Services segment of Tech Prep Showcase at the Texas SkillsUSA competition also informed the public of potential danger. Brianna Ybarra, Hillarie Rodriguez and Rosie Gutierrez identified known sexual predators living within one mile of Harlingen schools by a search of law enforcement databases for felons' addresses which they meshed with a map of Harlingen showing the schools.

The Tech Prep Showcase project of the student team revealed a significant number of registered sexual offenders residing near schools. The three Tech Prep students, who plan careers in law, law enforcement and social work, prepared brochures, a project board and learning tools for the state competition in Corpus Christi last month, according to Beto Pena, Criminal justice instructor at San Benito High School.

Ybarra, Rodriguez and Gutierrez will compete at the National SkillsUSA competition in Kansas City in June. Their project found that just as many offenders lived in affluent neighborhoods as in low-income neighborhoods.

“Because the competition category is Tech Prep, the judges expect the presenters to be very familiar with the subject matter delivered. There is a question-and-answer session with the judges, and the students are expected to be prepared to answer any questions about Tech Prep or the material presented for competition. I'm very proud of the accomplishments to date and look forward to the national competition,” Pena said.

Pictured: Hillarie Rodriguez (backl-r) Rosie Gutierrez,Brianna Ybarra

Three other San Benito High School students, these in the Media Technology program, also won top honors in the regional SkillsUSA Tech Prep Showcase, along with a trip to the national competition in two months.

Roy Espinosa, Amanda Medrano and Enrico Canas, all juniors, prepared a documentary-style video of the San Benito School District's fourth annual video competition. The Tech Prep students' video and PowerPoint presentation demonstrated the skills they had acquired with input from Valley anchors and from their training at the Student Network Affiliates in California in March.

Instructor Joel Rodriguez said Tech Prep's career technology program with its hands-on, practical elements has helped the three decide to stay in various parts of the broadcast and journalism industry.




Roy Espinosa, Amanda Medrano and Enrico Canas

Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Scholarship Recipients Named
Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Congratulations to this year's recipients of the Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos Tech Prep Scholarships! A committee of Tech Prep RGV Board and committee members interviewed the finalists and named the winners on April 10, 2007. Scholarship recipients are as follows:

The $2,500 scholarship good for any college or university was awarded to Ana K. Rodriguez, Economedes High School, Edinburg CISD. Ana plans to obtain her Accounting degree at St. Edward's University, and to continue with law school.

The $400 United Launch Alliance (formerly Lockheed Martin) Engineering Scholarship was awarded to Eduardo J. Cepeda, Jr., Hanna High School, Brownsville ISD. Eduardo plans to attend Texas A&M University at College Station to pursue a Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering. He also aspires to pursue advanced degrees in his field.

The $3,000 scholarship to the University of Texas-Pan American was awarded to Linda I. Figueroa, Edinburg High School, Edinburg CISD.
Linda plans to attend UTPA as a pre-med student, and become a doctor of plastic surgery.


The $3,000 scholarship to the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College was awarded to Jose Rivas, San Perlita High School, San Perlita ISD. Jose plans to attend UTB/TSC to major in Criminal Justice.

The $4,000 scholarship to Texas State Technical College was awarded to Justine L. Saldana, Weslaco High School, Weslaco ISD. Justine plans to attend TSTC to obtain her Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene.

Congratulations to all the scholarship finalists and recipients, and many thanks to the scholarship sponsors!

Dr. Janice Wiley to Address Counselors on April 26
Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Dr. Janice Wiley, Deputy Director for Instructional Support, Region One Education Service Center, will address the group when the Lower Rio Grande Valley Counselors' Network meets in Harlingen, Texas, on April 26. The topic of discussion will be planning for successful implementation of the "4x4" graduation curriculum and 26-credit high school graduation plan. All counselors in secondary education, postsecondary education, and private practice are invited to participate.

Meeting information is as follows:

Thursday, April 26, 2007
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Texas State Technical College
Learning Resource Center (LRC), Orientation Room
1902 North Loop 499
Harlingen, Texas 78550

If YOU are planning to participate, please let us know so that we can plan appropriately. To RSVP, contact Eliza Groff at the Tech Prep RGV offices.

Tech Prep RGV Board Revises Meeting Schedule
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The Board of Directors of Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley has revised its schedule of meetings. Board meetings will now be held quarterly in February, May, August, and November of each year. The schedule of meetings for the Board with its voting members has also been revised. The annual meeting, at which new members of the Board of Directors are elected, will continue to be held in October of each year. The semiannual meeting, formerly held in April of each year, has been discontinued.

The revised meeting schedule is as follows:

Quarterly Board Meeting, 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco: May 29, 2007

Quarterly Board Meeting, 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco: August 28, 2007

ANNUAL MEETING: Board meets with Members, new Directors will be elected; Weslaco: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., October 30, 2007

Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors: (election of new officers and committee chairs) 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco, November 27, 2007

Quarterly Board Meeting: 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco, February 26, 2008

Quarterly Board Meeting: 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco, May 27, 2008

Quarterly Board Meeting: 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco, August 26, 2008

ANNUAL MEETING: Board meets with Members; new Directors will be elected, Weslaco: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., October 28, 2008

Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors: (election of new officers and committee chairs) 12 noon-1 p.m., Weslaco, November 25, 2008

For additional information, contact Pat Bubb.

Dr. Willard Daggett Requests Input for National Skills Study
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Dr. Willard Daggett's organization has invited people throughout the nation to contribute to American education by taking part in a free online survey to determine what is most important for students to know and be able to do by the time they graduate from high school. We encourage all interested individuals to make the time and participate!

Dr. Daggett states that his organization has just launched its National Essential Skills Study (NESS). The goal is to have 15,000 survey-takers by June so they can release the results at the Model Schools Conference.

The NESS results will enable a school or district to address a common concern in the United States today - the overcrowded curriculum.

A complete description of NESS along with a podcast and the actual online survey can be accessed from the NESS link on LeaderEd.com or click here.

Dr. Daggett states that they are interested in responses from all people, not just educators. He encourages all interested individuals to share this information with colleagues, friends and family and invite them to take the survey.

Individuals may complete the survey in any or all four subject areas, although Dr. Daggett encourages participants to take them all.

If you are interested in having members of your organization participate as a group and receive a personalized report of the group's results along with the national results, please contact Deb Light at DebbieL@leadered.com [mailto:DebbieL@leadered.com]or
(518) 399-2776 ext. 227. The report, which costs $250, is free to Successful Practices Network members. A group will need at least 100 people to take each subject survey in order to produce a valid report.

On behalf of Dr. Daggett: Thank you for taking the time to consider this opportunity to help focus American education by differentiating between curriculum topics that are essential for students to master and those that are merely nice to know. Please do not hesitate to contact Deb if you have any questions.

Texas OneStar Foundation Hosts Workshop in Harlingen
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The Texas OneStar Foundation is holding a coalition-building training session in Harlingen on April 5. This session is one of three sessions offered in Texas, with other sessions offered in El Paso and Houston. These trainings are designed to assist youth-service programs in identifying, establishing and maintaining effective partnerships among organizations with similar
missions and goals. Topics covered include the following:

1. Discuss the meaning and benefits of collaboration.

2. Understand the stages of collaboration building.

3. Raise awareness of success factors and indicators of effective
collaborations.

4. Identify potential challenges and strategies for addressing
them.

5. Provide resources and tools for building effective
collaborations.

The session is scheduled as follows:

April 5, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Harlingen Public Library
410 76 Drive
Harlingen, TX 78550

Preregistration is requested. For additional information, contact OneStar at 512.473.2140, or visit the website:
http://www.onestarfoundation.org.

Mentoring a First Generation of College-Bound Students
Thursday, March 22, 2007

Tech Prep is looking for at least 10 good mentors. Students in Tech Prep's First Generation program–for high school students who parents never attended college-- need role models and mentors to encourage them as they plan their future and consider whether or not to continue their post-secondary education.

Dr. Anadelia Gonzales, Tech Prep's Special Projects coordinator, is working under an short-term AmeriCorps grant to develop a volunteer mentor base. “We haven't gotten very far trying to find traditional one on one mentors for these students. What we have found are persons who are willing to talk to a group of First Generation Tech Prep students about a career track,” she said. “We need volunteers like that and are glad to have them, but we also need one on one mentors who are willing to work with a student for one hour a week for a few months.”

For example, Oscar Martinez of Lone Star Bank has mentored First Generation student groups at several schools, talking to them about the financial facts of life, about money and credit, and about careers in banking.

“It's a good idea to get kids off to the right start in life,” said Martinez. His own role model was his father, Alejandro Martinez, who used the GI Bill to attend the University of Houston and became a first-generation college graduate. The banker believes teens need mentors much more today, and that's why he agreed to participate in the Tech Prep program.
Martinez has told the students that a strong academic course load in high school is just the beginning. “People applying for jobs at banks need more skills than ever before. You have to have the basic tools like computer skills to have a handle on how to work,” said the banker in his pinstriped suit.

Through a program of academic and technical, hands-on courses in high school and college, Tech Prep helps students prepare for futures in well-paying technical careers. Tech Prep-Rio Grande Valley students have a lower dropout rate, a higher graduation rate, and a higher college enrollment rate than non-Tech Prep students. Approximately 17,000 Valley high school and 10,000 college students are linked to the Tech Prep program.

Gonzales said mentors do seem to help students stay on track by giving them encouragement and information about going to college and working to graduate.

Admittedly, mentoring does take time, approximately one hour per week, and some effort. It is not tutoring, but lending an ear, a supportive voice and the knowledge gained by experience. Mentors often comment that their reward is witnessing the success of their young achievers.

For more information, call Melinda Morales at Tech Prep at 364-4547.

2007 Tech Prep RGV Counselor of the Year Award Recipients Named
Thursday, February 22, 2007

In recognition of their outstanding service to students, Tech Prep RGV honored three Rio Grande Valley school counselors with the 2007 Tech Prep RGV Counselor of the Year Awards at the 13th Annual Counselors’ Institute held at the Sheraton Beach Hotel in South Padre Island on February 15 -16, 2007.

Irma Aparicio receives the Tech Prep Elementary Counselor of the Year award from Tech Prep RGV representative, Belinda Torres

Elementary Counselor of the Year
Irma Aparicio, Counselor at Wilson Elementary School, McAllen ISD, received the 2007 Tech Prep Elementary Counselor of the Year award.
Ms. Aparicio shines as a beacon of hope in her work with both students and parents. She serves a population of almost 500 students, 85% of whom are economically disadvantaged and many of whom are limited English speaking and very mobile. She spends time in the classrooms providing guidance lessons to the students to assist them with the skills needed to be socially, emotionally, and behaviorally strong. Also, this year she is coordinating a high school vertical team career fair with five other elementary campuses. This event will bring together 300 elementary children with local business and community leaders and will be a great culminating activity for guidance lessons on goal setting, career awareness, and connecting school learning to the workplace.
Ms. Aparicio was nominated by Glenda McClendon, Coordinator of Counseling and Guidance, McAllen ISD.



Rosie C. Perez receives the Tech Prep Middle School Counselor of the Year award from Tech Prep RGV representative, Belinda Torres

Middle School Counselor of the Year
The 2007 Tech Prep RGV Middle School Counselor of the Year award went to Rosie C. Perez, Head Counselor at Mary Hoge Middle School, Weslaco ISD.
Ms. Perez has been a middle school counselor for eight years. In that role she provides students with not only academic guidance, but also psychological and emotional support. She provides opportunities for community therapists to educate teachers on topics such as suicidal ideation, self-injurious behavior, and other topics that help to bridge the gap between counselor and teacher. She makes an effort to present financial aid information to eighth grade students before they leave middle school and emphasizes the need to be prepared for high school, the opportunities to earn college credit in high school, and the value of a college education.
Ms. Perez was nominated by Julie E. Majors, Student Support Services Coordinator, Weslaco ISD.



Annabella Cantu receives the Tech Prep High School Counselor of the Year award from Tech Prep RGV representative, Belinda Torres


High School Counselor of the Year
The 2007 Tech Prep High School Counselor of the Year award went to Annabella Cantu, Career and Technology Counselor at Economedes High School, Edinburg CISD.
Ms. Cantu has worked for Edinburg CISD for 27 years, spending the last 12 years as a career and technology education counselor. She is a multi-talented, caring individual whose determination and hard work have helped to increase the number of Distinguished Achievement Program graduates and Tech Prep Texas Scholars graduates for the district. She always maintains a positive and effective relationship with supervisors and communicates effectively with colleagues, students, and parents. She coordinates interest and aptitude assessment for eighth grade students, communicates with teachers on career awareness activities, ensures that special education students have the opportunity to participate, and conducts classroom presentations to guide students in the interpretation of test results and the connection to possible high school career pathways and graduation plans. Ms. Cantu is retiring this year and will be deeply missed!
Ms. Cantu was nominated by Amancio Rodriguez, Metal Trades Teacher, Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District.

Technology Students Set Their Sights Sky High
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

By Eileen Mattei
The rocket countdown at the Harlingen Sports Complex began not at 10 but at 5. It is, after all, a small rocket. Ignition sends the first rocket to an altitude of 792 feet, lifted it seems, by the cheers of the Engineering and Technology Club of Harlingen High School. The recovery team races past unoccupied baseball diamonds to recover the rocket which is drifting down under the orange parachute that deployed on 're-entry.'
Jesus Cano, a senior and president of the engineering club, voices the consensus of the seven students who helped build and launch the rocket. “That was a successful launch. It went up nice and straight and didn't go all crazy.”
The teens are not just fooling around on a balmy afternoon. Their goal, actually their mission, is to send a rocket to an altitude of 850 feet and have it touch down after being aloft for 45 seconds without breaking the payload of an unboiled egg before the April 8 deadline. If they do, or come very close, they can be among the 100 teams nationwide heading to the Team America Rocketry Challenge in the Washington, D.C. suburbs in late May.
Cano and his fellow students are taking Tech Prep courses to prepare themselves for careers in engineering, science and technology. With courses in engineering graphics, computer maintenance and graphic arts course under his belt, Cano is aiming to enroll at UTSA or UTPA and study computer engineering. But right now he is concentrating on readying the rocket for re-launch. The parachute is repacked, a new one-use solid fuel engine inserted, the altimeter reset to zero, and the fragile egg placed inside its compartment before the four-foot-tall rocket is positioned on its launch pad. Hooked up to its ignition system, also known as the battery of club advisor and pre- engineering technology teacher Paul Tenison's van, the rocket is ready for liftoff. After a check for low-flying aircraft, the countdown begins again at five, the button is pressed and the rocket shoots upward.
“Go left. The other left,” says sophomore Joshua Johnson, coaching the rocket overhead, before a fin separates and the parachute pops open. The rocket reaches only 739 feet carrying the egg's weight, a burden which the first flight didn't have, before crashing down onto the roof of the van. Johnson who is also participating in Tech Prep's A-MAN program (Advanced Manufacturing) knows what the group's next step is: back to the drawing board.
The students use their math and physics skills to design and build the rocket that meets specifications. No commercial rocketry kits are suitable for the competition. The challenge, which never before had both altitude and flight duration, rewards the top 10 national teams with a total purse of $60,000. Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry, Team America Rocketry Challenge is designed to inspire the next generation to choose a career in aerospace. NASA and the Department of Defense are government partners.
The rocket body looks like a glorified mailing tube—with fins, engines, an altimeter, a payload, and a parachute, all non-metallic parts. In fact, when the competition started five years ago, the Harlingen group made their first rockets from Office Depot shipping tubes. Now the Engineering and Technology Club buys solid fuel from an online rocketry store and uses Hobby Lobby as a source of balsa wood and cardboard. Financial support from Harlingen's United Launch Alliance, formerly Lockheed Martin, defrays some of the cost of the redesigns and launches.
Junior, Isaac Gomez, would like to intern at ULA, on his way to his goal of becoming an aerospace engineer. His school courses have included engineering principles, technical systems and advanced calculus. For Gomez, “watching the rocket fly after you made it” is what thrills and motivates him.
Back at school, club members run rocket simulation software on their computers to help them determine what combination of nose cone configuration, fuel cells and rocket body will bring the ideal lift, flight duration, and gentle landing, while keeping total weight under 3.3 pounds. The students usually launch a rocket Monday after school, if the new rocket design is completed and it's not too windy or rainy. The public is welcome to watch, although Tenison says there is not a fixed launch schedule.
Last May, under Tenison's guidance, the Harlingen ETC became one of the elite 100 that qualified for and participated in the competition finals. This year's team is intent on putting their technology skills to work and building a rocket that meets the contest specifications. At the same time, they'll move closer to achieving their high-flying career goals.

Teacher, Paul Tenison, and students hook up rocket to its "ignition system"


Isaac Gomez (back to camera), Jesus Cano, Ralph Luaces (with movie camera) position the rocket for lift off


A beautiful launch!


Eric Martinez examines the damage done at re-entry to the rocket's parachute

Following in the Footsteps: Tech Prep Students Embark on Job Shadowing
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Students who commit early in their school years to a specific career pathway can stay motivated and confident about their career goals by visiting people working at that job. Tech Prep RGV organizes Job Shadowing Day to give Tech Prep students that opportunity. This year 168 Valley students jumped at the chance to visit and talk with staff at one of 17 workplaces across the Valley, from United Launch Alliance and Altas Palmas Animal Clinic to the Mission Hospital and Texas State Bank.

Betsy Villanueva arrived at Knapp Medical Center with other Los Fresnos High School students each scheduled to visit departments such as Pediatrics, Wound Care, or Radiology. The 17-year-old senior, who has been taking health science courses since her freshman year, first met with the hospital's nutritionist and learned about preparing different meals to meet a wide variety of patient needs. Villanueva also spent time with the Intensive Care Unit staff who gave her further insights into medical practices. “It was great,” she said; the trip reinforced her decision to become an occupational therapist.

Villanueva will attend TSTC for her basics, receiving college credit for her high school Tech Prep articulated health courses and therefore able to earn an associate degree in less than two years. She intends to transfer to UTPA, which has an occupational therapy program.

At KGBT-TV Monica Ortiz guided Maya Valdez, Benito Juarez and Allan Guzman behind the scenes to the station's Master Control area. The Raymondville High School students taking Tech Prep courses observed an employee who watches television for a living, and, with split-second precision, inserts announcements and local commercials into network programming from the satellite feed. Listening as Ortiz talked industry lingo about punching up a commercial, Juarez said he had completed a course in video technology, but that this was his first trip to a television station. He watched an assistant producer seated at a control board with dozens of colored keys and toggle switches demonstrate freezes, wipes and other graphic techniques, all food for thought since Juarez plans to take more video technology classes and possibly aim for a career in video editing. The job shadowing event motivated him to continue exploring the field, he said. “It's helped me learn a little more and see if it might work for me.”

Yania Gracia and Elias Hurtado of Raymondville High School were among the Tech Prep students touring the Harlingen Border Patrol station with Border Patrol Agent Mari Gutierrez during the job shadowing event. “This is an opportunity to talk to agents and ask questions,” said Gracia, who is part of the Campus Crime Stoppers club and goes on patrols. “I'm really interested in becoming a Border Patrol Agent or a U.S. Marshall. Being here has made me excited about reaching my goals, my dreams.”

Gracia and the other students observed the camera room, where monitors display 20 spots along the Rio Grande, and listened while agents described the processing seen in the short-term detention area where Chinese illegals were being fingerprinted. The junior is hoping to attend Sam Houston State because of its criminal justice program.

Elias Hurtado, whose sister is a police officer, wanted to see for himself the working of a law enforcement agency. “One of these day's I'll probably want to be a Border Patrol Agent or a Marshal. This is getting me very interested.” The freshman is in the midst of his first criminal justice class, which is a Tech Prep course.

Tech Prep RGV prepares Valley students for futures in well-paid technical careers through a program of academic and technical, hands-on courses in high school and college. Tech Prep students have lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates, and higher college enrollment rates than non-Tech Prep students. For more information, call 956.364.4509.

Los Fresnos Tech Prep student, Betsy Villanueva, talks with Knapp Medical Center staff member, Irma Salinas


Raymondville High School students, Allan Guzman, Maya Valdez, and Benito Juarez, go behind the scenes at KGBT-TV


Los Fresnos High School student, Margarita Aldape, watches as a doctor examines a patient at the Pediatric Unit of Su Clinica Familiar in Harlingen


Raymondville High School student, Malerie de la Cruz, observes the examination of a patient at Altas Palmas Animal Clinic


Border Patrol Agent, Mari Gutierrez, guides Raymondville High School students as they tour the Harlingen Border Patrol Station

TSTC and UTPA Sign Articulation Agreement
Thursday, January 18, 2007

For students wanting to transfer to The University of Texas-Pan American from Texas State Technical College Harlingen, the process will now be smoother thanks to three agreements signed by the two institutions on January 17.

The signing of a general articulation agreement, a dual admissions agreement and articulation agreements in engineering and computer science will streamline the process for TSTC students who transfer to UTPA to complete bachelor’s degrees.

“This agreement is important for both institutions and also important for the development of this region and the state,” UTPA President Blandina Cárdenas said. “We are hoping that this message reaches students and families. There is a way for you to acquire a post-secondary education. The institutions in the Valley are committed to breaking down barriers that stand in your way.”

The articulation agreements match or articulate comparable coursework between the schools to ensure that courses taken by TSTC students can be applied to UTPA degree requirements.

The articulation agreement between TSTC and the UTPA College of Science and Engineering will specifically ease the transition to a four-year degree for those TSTC students who have completed specified TSTC Associate of Applied Science degree programs wishing to pursue an engineering or computer science degree at UTPA. The dual admission agreement provides the option to be dually admitted into UTPA upon enrollment at TSTC if the student meets the academic criteria provided in the agreement. UTPA will provide a degree plan to TSTC students and advisers that will enable enrollment in classes that will lead to the completion of associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. UTPA transfer admission counselors will also work with the students beginning in their first semester at TSTC to assist them in the transition. High achieving students in the programs will be eligible for transfer student scholarships targeted to this initiative.

“I’m grateful that the University recognizes that our students are capable of handling the curriculum here at the University level,” TSTC President Dr. J. Gilbert Leal said. “Many of our students get tremendous jobs. But, the reality is that once they are employed, in order to get into the supervisory and management positions, it is necessary they continue their education. This agreement will make it easier for those students.”

Tech Prep RGV staff worked with staff of UTPA and TSTC on the development of these agreements and are eager to begin promoting these new opportunities for students enrolled in College Tech Prep programs in their high schools. Now that agreements in engineering and computer science have been completed, work on agreements in other areas will begin.

These new agreements with UTPA augment the many excellent baccalaureate-transfer opportunities available to students from Texas State Technical College, South Texas College, and Texas Southmost College at the University of Texas at Brownsville and other universities. Contact Tech Prep RGV for additional information.

(This article is based in part on an article written Melissa C. Rodriguez, Public Affairs Specialist, the University of Texas-Pan American, and posted on the UTPA website on January 17, 2007, at http://www.utpa.edu.)

UTPA President, Dr. Blandina Cardenas, and TSTC President, Dr. J. Gilbert Leal, seal the signing of the Articulation Agreement with a handshake

Texas Gas Service Partners With Tech Prep To Help Students Build a Smarter Future
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Texas Gas Service and the ONEOK Foundation recently presented a grant to Tech Prep RGV to further its mission of achieving a higher level of competence in the Valley’s workforce through reality-based learning. The grant represents Texas Gas Service’s and the ONEOK Foundation’s continuing commitment to a partnership that helps high school and college students prepare for careers in the technology field. Tech Prep assists local education institutions to prepare students to meet the high demand for graduates skilled in targeted job areas including healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, and information technology.

Dean LaFever, Texas Gas Service Director and Tech Prep Board member is spearheading an effort to familiarize more people with the mission of Tech Prep. Tech Prep’s marketing efforts work to increase awareness in what the organization is doing for high school and college students, their families, and for businesses needing well-educated and trained employees. “Individuals and their communities benefit when businesses are able to tap into a skilled and motivated workforce. Not enough people understand Tech Prep and appreciate what it brings to the community,” says LaFever.

Texas Gas Service and the ONEOK Foundation support educational partnerships that help people gain skills for self-sufficiency with the long-term goal of enhancing quality of life and economic well-being.

Featured in photo: Dean LaFever, Director for Texas Gas Service presenting check to Pat Bub, Executive Director for Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc.

Tech Prep Smooths Students' Pathways to Success: Highlights from the Annual Conference
Thursday, December 14, 2006

“We really care about kids. That's why we do this: motivating students to pursue an education that leads to satisfying, well-paid technical careers,” Tech Prep Executive Director Pat Bubb told 250 teachers and counselors attending the Tech Prep Regional Conference.
“On some level everyone here does what they do because they have the power to change a child's life,” author Jason Dorsey agreed. He said Tech Prep offers students the opportunity to try out career pathways early. “If you can try out a field early and it doesn't fit you, that's great.” The student is then able to move on to other fields, investigating it through classes, job shadowing and intern opportunities.
Dorsey, 28, said the current generation is harder to reach and to inspire, but it can be done. After giving examples of educators who changed his life by challenging him and believing in him, he said Tech Prep is good at both letting students know what is in their reach and making the future tangible. For example on college tours, students can overcome unspoken fears of what happens in a college classroom and of their ability to succeed by something as simple as sitting in on a class.
Students who don't believe they have a future won't take responsibility for their actions or take risks to move ahead. “You have to promote it that it is a very good thing to pursue post-secondary education. Communicate the advantage. Every child in the U.S. is at risk,” he said, only one decision away from doing something stupid. Something stupid can be not applying for a college or a scholarship.
“What helps with Tech Prep is the students have to make at least an 80 to get college credit. And every time a student gets a college credit, they have something to lose,” said Mirna Contreras, a Health Science instructor at Brownsville's Lopez High School. Her students actively look for articulated credits and dual enrollment programs. “It's a pathway. They are using it a stepping stone to an Associates Degree or Bachelors in Nursing.” Meanwhile the students graduating with a CNA or Pharmacy Tech certificate can get licensed and work while attending college.
During a conference break-out session, San Benito's Delia Weaver said, “One of our best practices is to let students recognize early on that they can do college work.” All San Benito students receive a career and technology education following one of 12 broad pathways established in ninth grade that prepare a solid foundation for career clusters such as healthcare or information technology.
“When you give kids what they want to learn in areas they're interested in, they are more productive,”said Craig Weart, a Weslaco science teacher. Kids who are focused are not the ones who drop out.
Students benefit when they enroll in high school introductory programs that show them what they need to do and need to be, to succeed in a field, according to Carolyn Good, who teaches health science courses in Weslaco. “Once they decide on what they want to do, they start to learn skills. Students who go to hospitals for clinical rotations can define themselves better.”
“It's not how smart you are,” Dorsey said, “it's what you do with what you have.”

Pat Escamilla, McAllen ISD S-Team Member and Pat Bubb, Tech Prep RGV Executive Director, pose with Jason Dorsey, Author and Conference Keynote Speaker.

Tech Prep Students Capture Essay Contest Prizes with Stories About Their Career Plans
Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Three Tech Prep students at San Benito High School have won the top three prizes in the Education and Career Expo 2006 Essay Competition.

Vanessa Piña intends to become a physical therapist and has taken Tech Prep courses that are leading her to that goal. “A career in this field will allow me to integrate thoroughly my passion for health science into a public-service framework,” she says. Vanessa believes a physical therapist has the “satisfaction of helping other people move and walk again. I embrace the opportunity to put my communication, academic and mechanical skills to use as I plan and administer physical therapy services.”

Vanessa wrote those words in her essay which won first place in the Expo Essay Competition. Her essay told of doing clinical rotations at Valley Baptist Medical Center and Harlingen Medical Center which gave her glimpses of the daily duties of physical therapists and strengthened her resolve to pursue a career in the field.

At the Expo, Vanessa found information related to her field of interest and learned of a new program at the University of Texas at Brownsville which coordinates the management of pre-physical therapy-related careers.

Alyssa Renée Benavidez has dreamed of becoming a teacher as long as she can remember. She has completed a year in a teacher prep class at San Benito High School that proved to her she is on the right path. At the Education and Career Expo held at TSTC-Harlingen and co-sponsored by Tech Prep-RGV, she advanced further down that path while learning about teacher education programs and realized the many different paths she could take to her goal.

“I believe the love I have for children plays a major role in pursing a career in education, because I know waking every day to help a child learn something new will bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart,” Alyssa wrote. Her essay on her future in teaching and finding the university that best suits her plans received the second prize in the Education and Career Expo Essay Competition. She is preparing to apply for as many scholarships as possible, she wrote, to enable her to achieve her goal of teaching.

As a child, Carla Victoria Marie Jimenez would mix different creams and liquids pretending to create what she called a medicine to cure a disease. Carla never lost her interest in the field. To prepare for her career in pharmacy, she has participated in the Tech Prep-RGV program at San Benito High School, taking health science technology, medical terminology and pharmacology classes. After attending the Education and Career Expo, she wrote, “I was glad that the university I would like to attend was at the Expo and thankful I was able to talk to a representative. They talked to me about their campus and the new pharmacy program they have, which enthused me to sign up for more information.”

Carla's description of her lifelong fascination with medicines, watching pharmacists at work, and building a strong foundation for her career through Tech Prep classes made her the third place winner in the Essay contest. Her essay explained that shadowing nurses during a health science technology course helped her realize a nursing career was not for her. When she spotted the Texas A&M Kingsville booth at the Expo, she stopped and basked in her future.

Tech Prep-RGV is a partnership between education and business that prepares young people for today's skilled workforce. The partnerships involves high schools, colleges, and universities, large and small businesses and governmental agencies–all working together for the same goal.

Tech Prep students Vanessa Pina, Alyssa Benavidez and Carla Jimenez of San Benito were awarded first, second, and third place prizes, respectively, in the Educations and Career Expo Essay Competition.

Tech Prep RGV High School Teams Excel at BEST Robotics Competition
Thursday, November 2, 2006

The three Valley high schools which participate in Tech Prep-RGV's Advanced Manufacturing (A-MAN) program all reached the semi-finals in the regional BEST Robotics competition held on October 28 in Kingsville. Harlingen High School, Edinburg Career Center, and Harlingen High School South are Tech Prep partners in the A-MAN program, which is designed to increase student interest in and preparation for science, technology, engineering and math careers by blending enjoyable hands-on projects with academics.

The annual BEST robotics competition, this year called the Laundry Quandary, challenged students from 15 schools to create a robot capable of hanging and removing “laundry” during a timed trial, using only the materials supplied by the competition.

Edinburg Career Center, a first-year BEST participant, received the Founders Award for Creative Design, given to the team that made the best use of the engineering process to incorporate both offensive and defensive capabilities into the robot. Instructor Amancio Rodriguez credited A-MAN for leading his students to the Robotics event and to an excellent introduction to hands-on engineering. “Now they have an idea of what we can do next year,” he said. Rodriguez, who teaches a machining class, noted that building the robot convinced one student to change to a more technical, and higher-paying, career path.

The Edinburg team also received the Most Elegant Machine Award, presented to the unit demonstrating the best design and execution.

The Game Specific Award, given to the team that scores the most points in various fields during the opening rounds, went to the Harlingen High School team, under the guidance of pre-engineering instructor and Engineering and Technology Club sponsor Paul Tenison. Club members, who range from freshmen to seniors, were surprised but excited about taking first place in the field test scoring. Additionally, the Cardinal team garnered the Most Robust Machine award for their robot deemed to be the sturdiest of the competitors and require the least maintenance during and between matches. Competition points were awarded for numerous achievements: web site, marketing, most photogenic robot, T-shirt, plus scores in the field matches

For the Coastal Bend BEST Award, Flour Bluff captured First Place, Calallen took second and Port Aransas placed third. The three teams are advancing to the state BEST Robotics competition being held in December in Lubbock. In the Robot Tournament Calallen placed First, Flour Bluff Second and Harlingen High School Third.

Although the three Valley teams had no members who were experienced competitors, the fact that they made it into the semi-finals indicates the creativity and caliber of the students, said Tech Prep manufacturing specialist Ray Anzaldua. He works with all three groups throughout the year, coaching and mentoring along with the schools' club advisors.

Harlingen High School South placed fifth in the overall scoring, which was a nice surprise for the Robotics Club members, according to instructor Javier Garza. “They didn't know what to expect since it was their first competition. They said, 'We can get farther next year'.”

The A-MAN program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor made to Texas State Technical College for a statewide Continuum of Education in Advanced Manufacturing project. TSTC is working on a variety of related initiatives, and South Texas College has become a partner for a component of the A-MAN project. For information about the A-MAN program, call Tech Prep at 956.364.4509 or 1.800.852.8784.

Edinburg Career Center Students demonstrate their robot


Harlingen High School Students make their robot hang laundry


Harlingen South students surround their robot

Lockheed Martin Donates Scholarship Funds to Tech Prep-RGV
Tuesday, October 10, 2006

A technically skilled workforce is important to Lockheed Martin.

Reflecting the belief of Lockheed Martin's leadership that helping young people attain higher education is of major importance, the Harlingen Lockheed Martin facility recently presented a $400 check to Tech Prep-RGV. Tech Prep RGV motivates and supports local students to continue their education and learn the technical skills required for well-paid careers in high demand fields.

Robert Leftwich, an administrator at the Harlingen Lockheed Martin facility and a member of the Tech Prep-RGV Board, presented the check to Tech Prep RGV Executive Director Patricia Bubb and described his company's commitment to developing the next generation of technically skilled workers. The aerospace giant offers summer intern positions to college students majoring in engineering. It participates in job shadowing programs and career panels with local high school students as well as supporting events like the recent Career and Education Expo attended by 1,700 middle and high school students.

Leftwich said Tech Prep is a way to overcome wage stagnation in the area since it raises the workers' technology expertise and increases the pool of skilled workers in the Valley. He noted a Lockheed Martin employee's son is in the Tech Prep program.

The donation will be directed to Tech Prep's Dr. Lauro Cavazos Scholarship.

For more information on supporting Tech Prep and helping develop the next generation of skilled workforce, call Tech Prep at 956-364-4509.

High School Students Strive to Make a Robot that Hangs Up Clothes
Thursday, September 28, 2006

The Harlingen High School students gathered around teacher Paul Tenison and Tech Prep Manufacturing Specialist, Ray Anzaldua, are poised to build a robot in six weeks. Their robot must be able to hang wet laundry on a clothes line and remove dry laundry faster and more efficiently than the other robots entered in the regional annual BEST robotics competition held at Texas A&M-Kingsville on October 28 and this year aptly named the Laundry Quandary.

Students Glimpse their Futures at Education & Career EXPO 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Harlingen, TX......While Valley middle schools and high school students were picking up candies and pencils at 52 booths during the Career and Education Expo held at TSTC on September 21, they were also picking up information on good-paying jobs and the education required for those jobs.
Barbara Bennet, of TSTC's Dental Hygiene department, said many secondary schools aren't aware of the importance of students getting a solid background in science if they plan to enter healthcare fields. She said TSTC's healthcare programs now partner with eight high schools. Articulated classes (for which students receive both high school and college credit) give students a head start on their careers. “If students get their EMT basics in high school, they save themselves a college year and the associated expenses,” Bennet pointed out. “Kids who are really motivated can finish high school with a CNA, get their license and work vacations making real money.”
Universities and colleges joined government agencies, branches of military service, and businesses ranging from network security to oil platform builders joined at the Expo which each year exposes students to their post-high school opportunities.
According to Norwood Fedie of the Harlingen Manufacturers Association, the students he talked to seemed to think that manufacturing meant assembly work, rather than designing and producing the components that are eventually assembled. He gave students a magazine that lists the high annual salaries of manufacturing employees.
Tech Prep RGV staff told students about the skills employers are looking for as well as the salaries paid to persons trained in those skills.
Educator Ricardo Carranza escorted 169 Edinburg High School freshmen and some senior co-op students to the Expo. “These student are focused, handpicked, and they are trying to find a career by the end of this semester. Our goal is for everyone of these students to tell us they are going to graduate, choose a college and a major.” Carranza is working with the students on four-year plans that give them direction and goals in high school and beyond. He said they can change their minds about what career they will pursue as they get more information, but having a plan is essential.
Elizabeth Ibarra of Wells Fargo reported that the Expo students' questions fell into three groups: what qualifications are necessary to work at the bank, the positions available and the salary range. At Action 4 News, where students and teachers lined up to have their picture taken with an on-air personality, Monica Rodriguez said she was frequently asked just what schooling was needed to pursue a career in broadcasting and how she got her job. “They also asked how much we get paid, which we're not telling,” she said.
South Texas Vo-Tech's Jesse Torres said students he talked with were still trying to find the right answers and decide what to study. “I tell them there's something for everyone. Find your talent, your passion and follow it.”
This year, the approximately 1,500 participating students had the opportunity to tour up to three departments of TSTC.

Students browse the booths at Expo 2006


Barbara Bennet explains the Dental Hygiene program at TSTC to a student attending Expo 2006



Norwood Fedie explains that careers in manufacturing are much more than assembly work and often offer high salaries

Rio Grande Valley School Administrators Start School With A Good Breakfast
Tuesday, September 5, 2006

The Valley's district school superintendents and principals started off the new school year with good news at the fourth annual Tech Prep-RGV's Back to School Breakfast. “Tech Prep students pursue higher education and complete higher education at a higher rate then the general population,” said Jack Damron, Region One Education Service Center Executive Director. Representatives from the 32 Valley districts attended the breakfast where they heard about the achievements of Tech Prep students and learned about Tech Prep’s plans for the coming school year.
Acknowledging that now is a time-critical point in the school year, Damron also stated that in the coming year Tech Prep would work with more partners to continue programming that is providing success for thousands of students. “When we can get students involved with hands-on activities, when can make learning relevant, then we have won half the battle.” Damron introduced the school superintendents who serve on the Tech Prep Board: Dr. Linda Wade of Harlingen ISD, Dr. John Edwards, and Dr. Danny King.
Tech Prep RGV Director Pat Bubb ran through the program's validating statistics rapidly, pointing out how much Valley Tech Prep students had saved at three area colleges. Thanks to articulated and dual credit courses, in the 2005-2006 year alone, parents and students saved a total of $3,846,000 in tuition and fees at three regional colleges.
Rick Tijerina, Senior Assistant Principal at PSJA's North High School, shared his first hand knowledge about the benefits for parents of Tech Prep students as well for the teens themselves. “Parents save a lot money,” he said, noting that his son graduated from high school with close to one year's worth of college credit for high school courses.
Each superintendent received a copy Thomas Friedman's book The World is Flat, which emphasizes that education must be relevant to the needs of workplace. Tech Prep Board President and professional engineer, Cesar Maldonado, said that the challenge lies in recognizing things as they are, not as our long-held perceptions dictate. He hoped reading the book would spur action. “Our real competitors are the countries that have the capacity for knowledge and technological applications, not the places with oil and cheap labor.”
Maldonado added that Tech Prep is helping Valley students to prepare for this changing world by “…doing things here at Tech Prep that are not being done in other parts of Texas.” He went on to thank the school administrators for their assistance and added, “Every chance you get to form a collaboration with a business person, do it”.
Tech Prep has been very successful in building student interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers that offer so many well-paying job opportunities. . For example, the health sciences program is expanding as students become aware of the demand for skilled staff across the spectrum of healthcare specialties. For the new wired generation, the communications field holds a lot of excitement and opportunities, added, Adrian Garcia, CATE for Region One
However, never one to rest on its laurels, Tech Prep is preparing an evaluation survey of RGV students who go on to college. With the information gathered from this survey, Tech Prep and its partners in the school districts and the business world will be able to improve on services to future generations of students.

Dr. John Edwards, Dean La Fever and Cesar Maldonado discuss Tech Prep's plans for the future.


Mission ISD Superintendent, Oscar Rodriguez, shares information on teacher student ratios with new high school principals, Janie Vega of La Joya and Richard Atkinson of Mercedes.