‘The Metlakatla Master Dive Program: Gaining Skills for the Local Harvest Industry’ by ACSA Staff

Photo Credit Leslie Johnson

In 2006, former Annette Island School District Superintendent Brett Agenbroad had a vision to offer Metlakatla High School students an opportunity to gain industry experience in diving by providing a scuba program.

Current Superintendent and former CTE Teacher Taw Lindsey said Agenbroad “saw a need to help provide safe training for divers to participate in the local dive harvest industry.” Lindsey shared that there is a significant need for dive harvest of sea cucumber and geoduck clams in the region for the local tribe and state harvests. Continue reading ‘The Metlakatla Master Dive Program: Gaining Skills for the Local Harvest Industry’ by ACSA Staff

‘Students Prepare to Take Flight in Private Pilot Ground School Elective’ by Nicole Stellon O’Donnell

Travis Stagg, a physics teacher at West Valley High School in Fairbanks, became inspired to offer students the chance to become pilots by his own love of aviation. After taking a “discovery flight” as a gift from his wife, he went on to become a pilot and certified flight instructor himself. 

Fairbanks International Airport

During his aviation journey, he kept hearing about the need to engage more young learners in training for aviation careers. According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, “763,000 new pilots will be needed in the world by 2039, based on Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook.” Ironically, the number of pilot certificates issued by the Federal Aviation Administration has decreased more than 60 percent since 1980.” (APOAStagg elaborates, “Report after report can be found online about the important role aviation plays in our state’s economy and that there is an increasing demand for qualified people to keep that industry healthy.”  Continue reading ‘Students Prepare to Take Flight in Private Pilot Ground School Elective’ by Nicole Stellon O’Donnell

‘Hutchison High School Encourages Life Long Learning Through CTE’ by Principal Robyn Taylor

James T. Hutchison High School or ‘Hutch’ as we affectionately call it, is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) school of choice within the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. We enroll approximately 100 students per grade, 9th-12th grade. In addition to our core 400 students, there are 164 students from across the district that attend classes at Hutch on a part-time basis.
Hutch provides an integrated learning environment within a culturally diverse community, where academic and career-technical experiences encourage a life-long love of learning, personal integrity, civic mindedness and preparation for successful post-school employment.

Continue reading ‘Hutchison High School Encourages Life Long Learning Through CTE’ by Principal Robyn Taylor