This February, Redmond School District joins schools nationwide in celebrating Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, shining a spotlight on the invaluable opportunities CTE programs provide for students.
CTE courses are designed to create an educational environment which integrates core academics with real-world relevance in various career pathways. Redmond proudly boasts 10 different CTE specialty programs between both high schools including Agriculture Science, Automotive Technology, Construction, Culinary Arts, Design, Health Science, JROTC, Manufacturing, Video Production (aka TV/Media), and Welding.
Redmond School District is committed to fostering an environment where students can explore, engage, and thrive in various career pathways. CTE courses not only equip students with technical skills but also foster creativity and critical thinking. By integrating hands-on experiences and real-world projects, Redmond School District ensures that students are well-prepared for the demands of the modern workforce.
One noteworthy CTE course offered by Ridgeview High School (RVHS) is the TV/Media Program, which has been available since the construction of the high school building in 2012. TV/Media teacher DJ Holloway has been helping students find their passion for the past decade at RVHS.
Holloway’s class covers a wide spectrum of media production, including digital animation, filmmaking, sports reporting, video game design, graphic design, digital art, TV production, and special effects creation. Drawing from his experience as an independent filmmaker before teaching at Ridgeview, Holloway leverages industry knowledge to help students navigate the realm of media production and find their creative niches.
“As long as it’s media related, I will find a way to support it,” Holloway said, “I’ll either help directly or find support for the student.”
Holloway emphasized that his CTE course is project based and the students have completed a phenomenal amount of work to be proud of. From digitally animated comics to advanced level 3D effects development, students are able to learn skills that prepare them for a wide range of career opportunities. Some students have even had their work win or be nominated for Student Production Awards by the Northwest Region of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Probably the best known TV/Media showcase, and what Holloway proclaims as the keystone of the program, is the daily Ravens Report. Each day students record a news broadcast of the school’s daily announcements during 1st and 2nd period, which is then aired during 4th period.
The students of Ridgeview have completed this task almost every day of the school year, with over 1500 episodes total. The class has their own YouTube channel, with 6,000 subscribers and 4.4 million views. A special episode that is aired each year is the Star Wars themed May 4th show, where students are able to let their creativity shine with impressive special effects that have included lightsaber fights and branded X-wing and TIE Fighters.
This past year the studio was upgraded to a fully digital set, which has allowed more special effects freedom. Recently students created a broadcast to the theme of Bluey, another example of how students use inspiration from current culture and trends to explore their creativity and to entertain the students and staff of Ridgeview.
Funding for CTE Programs is supplemented federally through the Perkins Grant and statewide with Secondary Career Pathways, which recognizes students who complete three or more credits in a Program of Study. TV/Media has consistently held the highest number of completers at Ridgeview, but all programs have great success with the program. The state funding is allocated to “incentivize intensive CTE Programs of Study that lead to high wage and high demand occupations,” according to the ODE website.
Dr. Charan Cline, Superintendent of Redmond School District, emphasized the value of the connection that CTE courses create for students in the community. Cline stated, “our commitment to providing students with diverse and meaningful learning experiences is at the heart of Redmond School District. CTE Month allows us to highlight the successes of our students and the positive impact of our programs. We are proud to nurture the talents and ambitions of our students as they embark on pathways to success.”
Parents, community members, and the media are encouraged to join Redmond School District in celebrating CTE Month.
