Dickinson High School will be hosting its first ever Career and Technical Education Showcase on Feb. 27, opening its doors to allow its skilled students to demonstrate their knowledge firsthand.
"Dickinson High was actually set up as a vocational center," Lyle Smith, who teaches Power Sports Technology at DHS, said in a phone interview. "We're kind of a link ... we apply what they learn in the academic areas. This is why science is relevant, why math is relevant."
DHS has been involved in skills-based education for a long time now-Smith's class was added in 1994, health career skills have been taught for the past ten years, and Smith said that agriculture has always been important at DHS.
"(In) the United States, especially, there's been a pull away from vocational technical education," Smith said. "But industry is very strong in our community and they've always been awesome backers."
The showcase, which will be held starting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 27 in the high school auditorium, will have a little something for everyone. Businesses can expect comprehensive tours of the current CTE department, like the wood shop and construction area. This event is advertised as an opportunity for businesses to look into prospective new employees. Students can expect possible apprenticeships or job shadow opportunities.
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For Smith, all of this helps provide something he never had when he was in high school-a chance to learn a meaningful trade and obtain work opportunities right out of high school.
"Our students are coming out of our programs either directly into the workforce or into an apprenticeship," he said.
Smith said the students will guide tours through the 12 different areas on campus, with plenty of opportunity to ask them questions. A pamphlet for the event also states the CTE Showcase will provide the community an idea of where these programs may stand when it comes to the future expansion of the high school. There will be opportunity for the community to make suggestions regarding the curriculum, the pamphlet states.
Smith hopes the community will come and realize the level of skill students are learning.
"Unless you have students who have been in our classes or you yourself have been in our classes, you don't know what's here," Smith said.
His class, Power Sports Technology, starts students off learning about small engines, tillers and lawn mowers, and progresses into advanced classes around snowmobiles and even some marine craft.