Friday, April 25, 2025
The Wisconsin CTE community is making news! Scan recent headlines from around the state to find innovative ideas, to see what communities are learning about CTE, and to get a sense of ideas that your local media outlets might be open to. Just click on a headline to go directly to the story.
Wisconsin State Robotics Championship to be Held in Sheboygan
SeeHafer News
FIRST Wisconsin, the organization holding the event, has announced that Sheboygan North High School will host the state championship competition on June 14th.
TechEd Podcast: The Lifelong Impact of Mentorship for STEM Students
Did you have a mentor while you were in school, or early on in your career? How did that experience shape your pathway? Mentorship is powerful. This week, we learned about the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Launched by the Mercury 7 astronauts, it’s given away $9 million in scholarships to STEM students. But more importantly, every ASF Scholar has a Mentor (many times a veteran astronaut or STEM professional) who walks alongside that student, providing guidance and wisdom during their university experience - and often, continuing for years afterwards.
High School Teams Battle for Top Culinary and Management Honors in Wisconsin
WMTV
Students explore trades at Wis. event
The Building and Construction Trades of South-Central Wisconsin hosted its 25th annual Careers in Construction Day, offering 500 high-school students hands-on experience in trades such as welding, bricklaying and operating machinery. The event aimed to highlight career paths that do not require a college degree, emphasizing the financial stability and opportunities available through apprenticeships.
Wisconsin high school students get hands-on experience at Careers in Construction Day
WMTV
“The event, held at Plumbers Local 75 in Madison, featured demonstrations from 15 different building trades — including electricians, ironworkers, carpenters, plumbers, and operating engineers. (500 Students rotated through hands-on stations, learning how to use professional tools, operate machinery, and even try out virtual reality simulators designed to replicate job site experiences.”
TechEd Podcast: The Athlete’s Mindset in the Classroom: The Power of Confidence, Goal-Setting, and Positivity in STEM
In this episode, you’ll learn the techniques used by winning athletes and how to put them into practice in your own classroom (or workplace)
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University takes aim at statewide teacher shortage
Northern News Now
“The program will also show support after graduation, which is something Phillips sees as an important aspect of preparing educators. She said teaching can be stressful at times and wants LCOOU graduates to have the option to connect with experienced educators. “I hear other universities say, ‘Oh we have a 90% graduation rate,’ that’s good, I want to say the same, but I also want to say we have 90% future retention in the field,” said Phillips.”
Students receive practical fire and EMT training
The Racine Unified School District has developed a youth apprenticeship program with the Racine Fire Department, providing students like Isiah Seago with practical experience in firefighting and EMT services. The program is supported by the state Department of Workforce Development and combines classroom certifications from Gateway Technical College with real-world training.
Racine high schoolers build tiny home for veterans in need
Spectrum News
“Wisconsin is home to over 300,000 veterans. Data from the Housing Assistance Council shows that nearly 400 of those veterans are homeless; A handful of students at Horlick High School are hoping to help combat that issue by building a tiny home for the veterans at the veteran village through Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin (VOW); The tiny home the students are building will be used as a model home for VOW. They will be able to bring it to display to veterans and others to learn about their programming; Jasmine Przekurat is a senior at Horlick and said she has enjoyed working on this project and gaining life skills through this program.”
Schools refresh shop classes to offer practical skills
School districts across the US are investing heavily to revamp shop classes, recognizing the growing demand for manual skills amid rising higher education costs and the threat of AI to white-collar jobs. Middleton High School in Wisconsin is among those leading the way, with new technical education facilities attracting a high enrollment of students interested in trades such as construction and manufacturing.
Wisconsin FFA chapters celebrate National FFA Week with community events and a trip to the state capitol
Wisconsin State Farmer
Last week was filled with celebrations for Wisconsin FFA and 261 chapters across the state. February 15-22 marked National FFA Week. Running over George Washington’s birthday and President’s Day, this week celebrates FFA across the nation, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Wis. students compete in SkillsUSA event
More than 300 students from 35 Wisconsin school districts participated in hands-on career competitions at Fox Valley Technical College, hosted in partnership with SkillsUSA. The event, which featured contests in welding, automotive and technical drafting, helps students develop workforce skills and connect with industry professionals.
Agricultural scholarships available
WFMZ
UScellular and Green Bay Packers surprise students of Leopold Elementary with $20K for STEM technology makeover
WKOW
In February 2025, Aldo Leopold Elementary School students in Madison got the surprise of a lifetime Wednesday. The Green Bay Packers and UScellular granted them a $20,000 donation through the Leap for Learning program.
Wisconsin state officers visiting schools and raising awareness during National FFA Week
WSAW
From Feb. 15-22, FFA Week is a time to share with local, state and national audiences what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.
Milwaukee teacher recognized as Wisconsin Ag Teacher of the Year
Spectrum News
Joshua Gonzalez is a second-grade teacher at the River Trail School of Agricultural Science.
Wisconsin Technical College System
Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) helps Milwaukee Public School students explore career options. Read the Story.
Mid-State hosts FFA Career Development Events for students across Wisconsin. Point/Plover Metro Wire
Moraine Park helps local Girl Scout troop earn their robotics badges. Read the Story.
Northcentral to host STEM Fest on April 12 in partnership with Michigan Tech. Read the Story.
CVTC’s dual credit programs often the focus of high school advisors. Baldwin Bulletin
Fox Valley expanding university transfer programs for high schoolers. WLUK
Madison College hosts ProStart culinary arts invitational. WMTV