From campus visits to rockets: PSD connects students with interests, prepares them for real world 

Eighth graders traveled between sessions to learn about options and courses in skilled trades, agriculture and natural resources, education and human services, and more. Students asked questions and got advice from experts in their fields, professors, college students, business owners, and more. 

Teagan Goff, a Lesher Middle School student, attended sessions on health science and business and marketing. He found the overall experience beneficial as he plans for high school next year. 

"It's been pretty fun, and it's helped me know what I want to do," Goff said. "I've almost sealed what I want to do in high school because of this day, and it has helped me get prepared." 

Although this event helped Goff finalize a few of his high school plans, no decisions had to be made by students at College & Career Day. The goal of the informational event was to help students learn and explore their options at a time when the number of changes and choices can feel overwhelming. 

There can be pressure on eighth-grade students to begin planning for their futures, but College & Career Day intends to take some of that pressure off by letting students have fun exploring different pathways and getting them excited about all the possibilities ahead.   

Tony Armendariz, a student at Boltz Middle School, said College & Career Day helped him learn about concurrent enrollment (taking college courses while still in high school), work-based learning, and more. In the future, he hopes to attend CSU and follow the example set by his older sisters but, in the meantime, he is still figuring out his own path. 

"I learned a lot, especially for my future," he said. "I'm glad I'll be able to come to [CSU]. Every school my sisters went to I went to, and I also hope my little sister gets here too." 

Students are working toward graduation with options even before eighth grade. Everything they are learning from the start helps to build a strong foundation for the future. Opportunities to learn about different careers can create core experiences for students learning what they like to do.

Career exploration starts with our youngest learners  

One example is Engineering Week, an annual event at elementary schools in February. During Engineering Week, engineers from companies including AMD Engineering, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, Microsoft, and others interact with fifth-grade classes across PSD. These volunteers teach students about different types of engineers and what engineers do before leading them in a class activity where they build and test paper rockets. 

This activity is an opportunity to learn about something, try it, experiment with it, and retry if things don't turn out as anticipated — a lesson that will follow students far beyond fifth grade. 

Pearl Zickrick, a Linton Elementary School fifth grader, doesn't know what she wants to do for a career yet, but she loves photography. Although she's not planning on being an engineer, she sees the value in hearing from guest speakers in other fields and building rockets with her classmates. 

"I think it's pretty important because it can help you in the future," she said. "If you want to be an engineer, it teaches you what you could do and helps you figure out what you want to be when you grow up. You could learn a lot more than you would if you're in a regular class." 

In the same class, Brooke Veltre knows she wants to become a robotics engineer one day. She has already learned a little about coding and likes hands-on activities that allow her to build or break things apart. 

Although Veltre knows some about engineering, she enjoyed learning about the different types of engineers. For example, it takes mechanical engineers, chemical engineers, and more to work together to create a functional design when creating a car. 

"I really liked all of this because it gave me a few ideas of things I could do, and I know I really want to be an engineer," said Veltre.

High schoolers take career exploration to the next level 

Experiences like Engineering Week and College & Career Day help students build a strong foundation so that by the time they reach high school, they are ready to pursue their passions even further with work experiences, college-level coursework, and multiple Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. This is what being PSD Future Ready is all about. 

In addition, grants are expanding opportunities for apprenticeships and work-based learning in the district. PSD has been awarded nearly $1 million in grants to expand career-connected learning opportunities and increase awareness of FAFSA, or free financial aid for higher education. 

Opportunities benefit students in many ways

It’s simple: Students, more than ever, need to know how their classroom experiences translate to the real world. It is essential to teach the "why" in the classroom and how it transitions to what they may experience in the workplace. 

As part of Graduate with Options, we want PSD students to learn not only industry-specific technical skills, but also professional skills valued by employers, like communication, collaboration, teamwork, resilience, and work-ethic. Data also show that PSD students who are taking Career and Technical Education, or CTE, courses have a higher graduation rate than their peers who aren’t. Why? Research suggests that students do better when they are engaged in school – when they are learning about things that interest and spark a desire in them to explore and grow. 

“Investing in Career and Technical Education – in all of these incredible opportunities – attracts students to Poudre School District,” said Tanya Alcaraz, director of Career and Innovation. “It’s what students say they want more of and what families say they expect of us, as we educate the next generations of community members and employees.”