April 4, 2024 • 34 mins
We have a robust Career and Technical Education program at Oregon High School and today we are meeting up with our School to Career coordinator at OHS as well as some students who are involved in the great opportunities that our program offers.
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SPEAKER1:
February was Career and Technical Education Month, and we have a robust career
and technical education program at Oregon High School. (00:01):
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Today we are meeting up with our school to Career Coordinator at OHS, as wellas some students who are involved in the great opportunities that our program
offers.
SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids. (00:21):
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Here is your host, lifelong educator in our superintendent, Doctor LeslieBergstrom.
SPEAKER1: I'd like to begin with our school to career coordinator. (00:35):
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Could you please introduce yourself and tell our listeners about your role inthe Oregon School District?
SPEAKER3: Hi, my name is Anna D'Amelio, and I'm the School to Career coordinator here in the Oregon School District. (00:43):
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And the main functions of my role is I support students who wish to participatein work based learning programs.
I support students who want to take classes, college classes off campus.
Um, I support CTE, which are "career and technical education" departments, um,by financially by writing grants.
(01:08):
Um, I have to collect and submit required data about our CTE programs to thestate.
Um, I also like to make a lot of connections with post-secondary partners andbusiness partners so that we can link the high school with our students and vice
versa.
SPEAKER1: So we have a really robust career and technical education department or CTE. (01:26):
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Actually it's multiple departments here in the Oregon School District.
So could you tell me about our CTE departments and the offerings we have here?
Yeah.
SPEAKER3: Now this is a question that can be confusing in all sorts of districts that I've been in. (01:40):
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And so I always like to be able to answer this question and put it out there that career and technical education is taught by multiple departments like Miss
Doctor Bergstrom had mentioned.
And here we have agriculture.
We have technology and engineering, we have business and informationtechnology, we have marketing, and we have family and consumer science
(02:05):
departments. Now, each of these departments branch into several differentcareer pathways.
For example, family and consumer science branches into areas such as education,hospitality and health care, um, technology and engineering branches into areas
such as automotive, architecture and construction, and manufacturing.
SPEAKER4: Wow. (02:25):
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SPEAKER1: So how does CTE relate to our portrait of a graduate? (02:25):
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SPEAKER3: Yeah, so it relates quite tightly, quite closely. (02:30):
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Um, so students learn content and skills about their desired area.
They can earn industry recognized credentials.
They can, you know, participate in, in organizations, um, you know, that haveall sorts of different components in terms of leadership
(02:53):
development, volunteering, um, you know, skill development, networking.
Um, students are able to challenge themselves by taking dual credit classeshere and multiple CTE classes.
They can earn industry recognized credentials, um, so that it proves that theyhave competency in a certain in a certain skill set
(03:15):
because they have a state or a nationally endorsed certificate.
Um, they can also participate in certified work based learning programs, suchas youth apprenticeship or assisted childcare teacher and their desired pathway.
Um, so CTE classes do help students develop their competencies because theyhave rigorous experiences.
(03:36):
They need to be able to think critically and creatively in order to solve workand solve work problems that there isn't a textbook answer for.
Uh, challenging problems require challenging solutions.
Um, character development's the natural byproduct of student participation inCTE classes and programs.
CTE helps students prepare to be productive and contributing members ofsocieties and the society and the community where they're going to live and
(04:04):
serve in, um, and CTE classes and programs absolutely support students andtheir readiness and their post graduation world.
SPEAKER1: These are amazing opportunities. (04:13):
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I definitely do not remember them being around when I was a high schoolstudent.
This is an outstanding way for students to really broaden their experiences inhigh school.
So what would you say to students who might be interested in exploring CTEclasses and work based learning programs, but not quite sure where it's going to
(04:36):
end up or what their real interest is?
What's their first step?
SPEAKER3: I think people don't know what they don't know about themselves, and I think it's important for them to take a chance and to broaden their, um, understanding (04:40):
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and of themselves and to develop skills.
And so employers are interested in the skills that you bring to the table.
You also want to be able to network with people as well.
And CTE programs and classes allow students to do that.
(05:04):
And so I really think that you might take a class, maybe you take anengineering class and you think you want to be an engineer, and you take the
class and you're like, "I don't know if I really like doing this." That's good.
Because now you know that that's not something that really aligns with whatyou're interested in.
Maybe you take that engineering class and you say, "absolutely, where how can Isign up for more of this?" So either way, whether it's a class, whether it's a
(05:29):
CTSO, whether it's a work based learning program, you're going to be able totake some valuable, learn some valuable skills, and those skills are
transferable. So let's take that engineering example.
Let's say you did youth apprenticeship in an engineering firm because you tookthe classes, you loved it and then you finally decided, "I am going to try for a
work based learning experience." And maybe you're like, "I'm not sure aboutthis." Well, that time wasn't lost because you learned what maybe you don't want
(05:56):
to do and what you don't want to major in because you've experienced it outsideof the high school or you've decided, absolutely, "I am for sure going to such
and such a school to major in engineering, because I've lived it and I loveit."
SPEAKER1: That's a great way to put that. (06:10):
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Thank you. Now we'll turn to our students.
So we have quite a few people sitting around the table today.
Can you also start by introducing yourself, your name, your grade in school?
The career focus that you have right now?
SPEAKER5: Um, my name is Morgan Spindler. (06:26):
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I'm a senior at Oregon, and I'm pursuing engineering.
SPEAKER6: I'm Cheyenne Johnson, I'm a senior at Oregon High School, and I'm pursuing veterinary technician degree. (06:31):
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SPEAKER7: My name is Ashley Olsen. (06:36):
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I'm a junior at Oregon High School, and I plan on pursuing the agriculturalfield in veterinary medicine.
Um, my name is Avery Holtmann.
I am pursuing -- I'm a senior, and I'm pursuing a health care.
SPEAKER5: My name is Charlotte Swenson. (06:50):
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I'm a senior at Oregon Science-- or Oregon High School, and I am pursuing anactuarial science degree.
SPEAKER1: Thank you. And we had a student who was planning to be here representing hospitality. (06:58):
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So otherwise we have a wide variety of experiences and interests here.
So I'm really excited to learn more.
Tell us about how you became interested in your career pathway, types of skillsand content knowledge you learned in your classes that will align with that
(07:18):
career pathway.
And I'll start with you, Morgan.
SPEAKER5: So my interest in engineering started really early for me. (07:22):
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I like to watch a lot of movies with my dad, and when he got me into the MarvelUniverse, I really liked the Iron Man movies.
Wow. Um, because all the engineering.
And that was super cool.
Um, and then my brother attends UW-platteville currently for an electricalengineering degree, and he showed me some of the classes he's taken, and I
(07:44):
always just thought it was really cool.
So it runs in
SPEAKER1: the family a little bit? Definitely. (07:46):
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All right. So then tell me about the content knowledge and the skills from yourclasses that you're going to apply.
SPEAKER5: Um, so we offer a quite like plentiful amount when it comes to our tech ed um, like electronics foundations and technology, like engineering, drawing. (07:53):
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Pretty much any like subfield of engineering, you can find a class or two herefor um, so I took as many of those as I can, and I'm applying a lot of that
to a future degree because I want to major in computer engineering.
(08:16):
Um, so like electronics is really relevant.
PC system servicing is really relevant.
Um, and I'm going to get a certification for that class at the end of the yearbecause it is dual enrollment with MATC.
SPEAKER1: So it sounds as if you've taken most things in the career and technical -- in one -- in that particular department? (08:26):
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Yeah. Oh, that's really cool.
Thank you. Yeah, I kind
SPEAKER5: of live in the 900 hallway. (08:35):
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SPEAKER1: That's a great place to live. (08:38):
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Great place to live.
Uh, Cheyenne, how about you're next?
Yeah.
SPEAKER6: So, veterinary technician, I didn't really know it existed until about my freshman year of high school, so I started my ag career in the (08:43):
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beginning, joining Oregon headliners 4H club.
It's a great way to start as I'm currently an FFA, and it's a great start forkids who maybe just want to bring their animals to the fair and basically
(09:05):
showcase their project.
They can even showcase art.
They can showcase plenty full of different things at the county fair and at thelocal fair level.
So when I got to high school, I found a class called Animals, Plants, and You.
And it was taught by Mrs.
Beaty. And it's basically a start to agriculture, learning about differentbreeds, learning the anatomy and physiology of all those breeds and
(09:31):
species and how they work and how they can apply to your real life.
And that's basically where my whole ag career really shot off is being in thatclass and being related with Miss Beaty as my advisor now,
and taking all the different classes offered in that classroom, and there'sanimals that even live in that classroom.
(09:54):
So there, sure, you can imagine there's so much opportunity there.
Yeah. And if you're not an animal person, there's a greenhouse right next doortoo.
So you can always take care of all the plants.
So there's a great start there.
And um, now I am a school to work student at Country View Equine Clinic.
And being an assistant there has really taught me how the technician can reallyhelp the veterinarian.
(10:19):
I didn't think that -- I thought mostly the veterinarian did a lot of things ontheir own or had some sort of office help, but the technician wasn't
present in my younger career as much as I wanted to.
Um, so now I kind of saw that they help with a lot of the procedures, makingsure everything's clean, getting things ready.
(10:41):
So I think school to career was a big boost.
And definitely knowing what I wanted to do.
SPEAKER1: Yeah, it helped you know what was out there. (10:46):
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SPEAKER6: Uh, working in it. (10:48):
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Yeah. And as well as that Animals, Plants, and You class, we studied differentcareers in the agriculture path.
And that was one of them that really interested me because as a kid, I reallywanted to be a veterinarian, but I didn't know if it was quite right for me.
So I wanted to help animals, and that was the other way to do it.
SPEAKER1: Wow. Thank you. (11:07):
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Okay, Ashley, tell us your story.
SPEAKER7: So I'm a junior here. (11:11):
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And I have taken a lot, of course-related work.
Um, when I was little, I said I always wanted to be a veterinarian, and I wasin the Brooklyn Mighty Mites 4H until my freshman year.
Um, and then I switched over to FFA once I realized this is really what Iwanted to do.
(11:32):
So my freshman year, I took the intro to AG class, and I learned this is what Iwant to do.
I want to be a veterinarian.
And it really solidified my ideas of that.
So growing up, I always did still projects at the local and county fairs.
I never did any animal projects.
Once I got to high school and I took Mrs.
Beaty's classes, I was like, "I want to do animal things.
(11:54):
I don't want to just sit in the back seat.
I want to be with the animals.
I want to be doing everything like that." So I have taken pretty much all ofthe agriculture education classes here at the high school.
And now this year, I am taking classes up at University of Wisconsin-Madison inthe veterinary hospital.
So I'm getting more of the real world.
(12:15):
This is what happens on a daily basis in the vet school or in the vet hospital,and it's really helped me to understand and continue my path in veterinary
medicine. Um.
SPEAKER1: How much of your day are you spending up at the UW? (12:29):
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SPEAKER7: So I go to the UW two hours every week. (12:32):
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So on Wednesdays I go to class, um, for two hours.
We typically have guest speakers.
Um, so this week we've been doing large animal guest speakers like ruminants,equine, all the things about that.
And in past weeks, we've learned, like every single part of the animal.
(12:53):
We go over all the anatomy and physiology.
So one week we'll learn about eyes and ears.
Another week we'll learn about the digestive system, the respiratory system,all of those things like that.
SPEAKER1: Um, so I'm just curious. (13:09):
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Tell me about how you feel about the academic rigor related to the class you'retaking there and classes you might take here.
How much of a step up is it for you?
SPEAKER7: So yeah. So this class I'm taking is part of the youth apprentice program. (13:21):
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Yeah. So all the students in my class this year are all high school students.
SPEAKER1: Got it. Okay. (13:29):
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SPEAKER7: It's -- it's a really great community. (13:31):
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There's like about 15 of us high school students.
I'm one of the few juniors in the class, but we have a course rigor weekly.
And we read chapters and we complete, um, related assignments.
So from an agriculture education class here, you're in the classroom every day.
(13:54):
Right. At this class, I'm in the classroom once a week, and then I have about 2to 3 assignments to complete before the next class.
Got it. It's definitely a step up, but I wouldn't say it's as hard as you mightthink it would be.
It's definitely towards that college level, but I'm very knowledgeable in theagriculture industry, so that helps me in learning things quicker.
(14:16):
Um, and because of all the course related work I've taken here at the highschool prior it, the class just builds on my learning.
It's not all new, which is very helpful.
And
SPEAKER1: exactly as it's designed to be. (14:25):
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So that's wonderful.
Thanks for sharing that.
Um, all right, Avery.
SPEAKER7: So I'm interested in health care. (14:32):
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I am interested in becoming a medical doctor.
Um, I have really wanted to be a doctor for almost my entire life.
Um, I grew up around the medical field because my mom is a nurse.
And then I also have experienced a lot of the medical field through myself,because I do have a chronic illness, that I have been benefited by the, um,
(14:56):
health care field for almost my entire life because of it.
Wow. Um, so coming into high school, I really knew that I wanted to dosomething in the medical field.
I was pretty set on being a doctor, but I wasn't quite sure what field I reallywanted to go into.
Um, and I've taken almost every single health care related class we haveoffered here.
(15:19):
And I after last year, my junior year, I took AP psych and I took anatomy andphysiology, and after taking those two classes, I just
really found my love for like, neurology.
And I, um, have decided that neuro and neurosurgery specifically is really myarea of focus.
(15:43):
I just find, like, the brain so interesting.
And by taking those two classes and kind of getting a mix of the very medicalside through anatomy and physiology and also the psychology side from AP
psychology, I was really able to like focus on that interest and see, like theside of medicine I want to focus
on.
SPEAKER1: Um, wow. That's fascinating. (16:04):
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SPEAKER7: Yeah. And so I think almost every single one of my classes I've taken here, whether they have been focused on health care (16:06):
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or something else entirely have helped me with different skills that I'm goingto need in the future.
Like communication, presenting all those kinds of things and just like havemade me like the learner and the
(16:33):
person that I am today.
And without those classes, I would probably still be trying to figure out whatI want to do, other than the fact that I wanted to go into health care.
And I think it's it's really important that I know that that's my interest now,because that's what I'm planning on majoring in and everything.
So I just feel like I've gotten such a good variety of information from allthose classes to be able to.
SPEAKER1: Yeah, I love how it was classes from different departments, even that when you synthesize them, it led to you knowing what you wanted to do. (16:59):
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That's that's a unique aspect of your story.
Thank you. Okay, Charlotte, how about you?
SPEAKER5: Um, so pretty much for me, I've always loved math. (17:14):
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Math has just been a huge part of my life.
I've -- I just love doing it.
Um, and so when I got to high school, I knew I wanted to do something withmath, but I didn't really know what, like, career fields were out there.
And so, um, I took obviously the basic math classes that you take.
(17:34):
And then, um, towards my later years in high school, I took a few businessclasses, and that includes accounting and, um, uh, business
economics and marketing and leadership one, I think.
And, um, so those classes really showed me how the math like aspect of life canbe applied to the business world.
(17:55):
And it really showed me that that's where I want to spend my future.
SPEAKER1: So you found you found an avenue for what you already knew you really love? (17:59):
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SPEAKER5: Yes. And this year in accounting, um, my teacher, uh, um, wanted me to join the club FBLA, which we used to (18:04):
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have at the high school. But, um, once Covid happened, it went away.
And now we're trying to bring it back.
And this year, there weren't that many kids that were able to do it because itwas very, um, quiet.
And but being at FBLA and being at the regional competition at Columbus thisyear, it really showed me that there's a whole world out there of people, even
(18:34):
though there was only like five people on our team.
There is a huge world out there of people that have the same interests orsimilar, and it just really showed me that there's my people out there.
Right.
SPEAKER1: It's comforting and energizing at the same time, right? (18:43):
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Well, Charlotte, you already started talking about the career and technicalstudent organizations that we have here when you spoke about FBLA.
So now I'm going to go back over here to Morgan, and we'll start with whatassociations are you involved with?
SPEAKER5: So I'm very involved with SkillsUSA, which is our tech competition club here. (19:00):
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It's a national organization.
Uh, but the Oregon chapter specifically has done a lot the past few years.
Yes. Um, they were pretty active before Covid.
And then once quarantine happened, like, because it would be hundreds of peoplemeeting up at colleges, that kind of had to stop.
(19:22):
Um, but once it came back, um, Hawk, who's one of the advisors for it, Mr.
Haakenson, he teaches a lot of the tech ed classes.
He saw that I was doing well and like his electronics class and other classessimilar.
And was like, "hey, you should join SkillsUSA." Yeah.
And I'm like, "okay, why not?" And then I went to one competition.
I did really well, and then I committed to it for the rest of the year.
(19:44):
And then the next year there were only a few people returning.
So a lot of the members were seniors.
Um, so I was elected president of that remaining group.
SPEAKER7: And well, congratulations on that. (19:53):
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SPEAKER1: Okay. Thank you. (19:55):
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That's really terrific.
So you've engaged in multiple competitions now?
Oh, yeah. Yeah. All right.
Thank you. Cheyenne, how about you?
SPEAKER6: Yeah. So this year I'm the secretary of the Oregon FFA chapter, and FFA is basically agricultural education. (20:06):
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And one of the things our chapter has been specifically struggling with is howyou're supposed to maybe live on a farm to be an FFA.
And that's totally not true.
We have so many members that live in town.
That's a great
SPEAKER1: clarification. You don't have to live on a farm to be in agriculture. (20:26):
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SPEAKER6: No, agriculture is so much a part of our daily life, and it can apply to many different things and careers that high school students may want to do. (20:31):
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And recently we've had competitions for LDEs, or leadership development events,or CDEs, career development events.
And through FFA, we can compete with our knowledge of these careers or practiceour speaking and compete and basically learn about these career paths and
(20:57):
show what we know.
And it's a great opportunity for any high school student who's basicallylooking for any career paths through agriculture.
SPEAKER1: And there were quite a few medal winners at the last round of competition, so that's really cool too. (21:05):
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Yeah. All right.
Ashley? Yeah.
SPEAKER7: So. I'm also in FFA. (21:13):
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I'm currently the Vice president of the FFA.
Um, just as Cheyenne said, we're doing a lot this year with competitions.
Next week we go on to sectionals for our speaking competitions, and we'retaking about five students to at their chance to make it to the state
competition. And then also next week we're advancing.
(21:33):
Well, we're not advancing, but we are starting our career development events,and we are qualifying, um, to try to make it to state for those.
Wow. So we are hoping to make it to a lot of state events as of next week.
Um, but through FFA, I've been able to find my people.
Um, I've always kind of known that I wanted to be in the agricultural industry,and I did not grow up on a farm, and I did most of the things just
(22:01):
non-animal at the start.
And then FFA last year, I started showing poultry, and the opportunity came tome with FFA because of the people that I met.
Um, and I have gone to multiple state conventions, and I went to nationalconvention in Indianapolis this past November, and I met
(22:23):
people from all over the United States and the territories, which was so cool.
And through FFA, I've also been able to complete a lot of applications.
So in May of last year, I completed an application to serve as a Wisconsinnational delegate to elect the next year's national officers.
There were 15 applicants and I was one of the three interviewed.
(22:44):
I unfortunately did not receive the position, but I gained a lot of knowledgeof how interviews work.
So I completed the application and I pretty much went into that interviewpretty blind.
I did
SPEAKER1: not know (22:57):
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SPEAKER7: what they were going to ask me how things were going to go, and it was just on the spot. (22:58):
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I had to do it.
That opportunity helped me with my job interviews that I've been completing.
So I currently have a youth apprentice at a doggy daycare, and now I'm applyingfor vet clinics around the area.
And what I've learned in FFA has helped me with those interviews, and they'regoing to help me with my future interviews.
(23:24):
And I'm advancing to sectionals, um, for next Wednesday in employment skills.
So I've really taken FFA in the competition in employment skills and learningall those industry related knowledge to actually applying it while also
learning it, which is a huge thing because organizations like this give you theopportunity to practice, to learn as well as applying it.
(23:47):
And this also goes with the Agriculture Education has a three circle model.
We have the education in the classroom, our SAE programs which are supervisedagricultural experiences, and then the FFA organization.
And my experience with employment skills has really started to shape my threecircle model into a stronger one and enforce it in FFA.
SPEAKER1: So you, uh, speak about this so well. (24:09):
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Is that one of your events to be able to speak about this?
Um, no. No.
Okay. I thought maybe it was connected.
SPEAKER7: So basically for employment skills, I fill out all these applications and then I go into the room pretty blind of what they're gonna ask me. (24:21):
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Oh, so
SPEAKER1: the interview piece is that. (24:27):
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Okay.
SPEAKER5: So yeah, you go (24:29):
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SPEAKER7: into -- you go into a room, you fill out a job application, you've completed your resume or cover letter and a job description prior to going to the event. (24:31):
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And then the biggest scoring piece is the interview.
SPEAKER1: So it's how you -- how you answer questions that you don't necessarily know ahead of time what they're going to be. (24:43):
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So it's a true interview?
Yeah.
SPEAKER7: It's -- it was definitely hard. (24:51):
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It was my first year competing in it.
But I, I did very well.
And learning that is definitely going to help me.
And just being put on the spot is a huge thing in any career path that you endup going into, because it's the truth.
Yes, maybe you're going to meet someone and there's going to be an on spotinterview.
(25:12):
You just never know.
So creating those skills through the FFA has helped me majorly.
SPEAKER1: Thank you. So, um, Avery, tell us about your career and technical student organization. (25:17):
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Um, so.
SPEAKER7: I have been involved in Hosa since my freshman year. (25:23):
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Um, I've actually been leadership in the club since my freshman year as well.
I was originally the secretary, then my sophomore year I was the vicepresident.
And then the last two years I've been a co-president, and now I'm just thepresident this year.
Um, I have done a lot of competing with my club.
Um, Hosa has, um, competitions every year.
(25:45):
We have a regional, then a state and then an international.
Um, my sophomore year, I actually advanced to the international level, um, inhuman growth and development, um, test.
So we write a test or we do like competitions, like group competitions or justspecific, like individual competitions, like there's a CNA one, there's
(26:07):
like medical assistant.
Um, and so my sophomore year I actually went to the international competitionalone, which was in Nashville, Tennessee.
I went there with my parents.
Um, I just really wanted the experience.
And by going and doing that, um, I learned a lot of how to make connections andhow to reach out to other people and not
(26:30):
be afraid to just be myself and a specific group and just talking to peoplearound me.
I was able to learn, like, all the different kinds of things people want to go,to go into in the medical field and just talking to other people.
I was able to see a different perspective of why people want to go into themedical field, why people are in Hosa, what kinds of things they do in their
(26:53):
chapters. And it was just a really great experience to learn all of thoseskills and learn about just other people in the medical field as well, and
different career paths in the medical field.
Um, and also through our chapter of Hosa here at Oregon High School, we havebeen trying to make it bigger.
(27:13):
Right now it's very small.
Um, it has been bigger in the past.
But just as the years go on, um, so reaching out and like the classes likeIntro to Occupational Health or Medical Terminology and asking those students if
they would want to join.
And then we also last year we ran a blood drive at the school here, and I ledthat and put it together.
(27:35):
It was not easy, but I bet we met our goal we got, I think it was 45 donationsaround from the students and other people in the
community. And just by doing that, we're helping not only our specificcommunity, but other people around the world.
Because the Red cross is such a amazing organization.
(27:56):
And right now we're we have a blood shortage around the world.
Um, and just getting to facilitate that was also a great opportunity to learnthese different skills.
And just being personable with other people and going to administration andgoing to other people in the community and
SPEAKER1: learning how to make things happen. (28:16):
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Exactly. You know, I'm listening to all of you.
And as you're speaking, I'm thinking you're all really the personification ofour portrait of a graduate with the experiences you've had, the way you've
opened yourself up to new experiences, and then all the skills you arecultivating through that, it's it's outstanding.
(28:38):
So now I'm just going to ask our seniors right now.
So you're in your final few months.
Okay. All but one student here is a senior.
So I'm going to start with Charlotte.
So tell us what's next for you.
SPEAKER5: Um, I plan to attend Iowa State for actuarial Science and I am very excited. (28:53):
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I have toured before and I just loved the campus.
And, um, I specifically loved the business college.
There were so many opportunities, um, that not necessarily applied to me, butthat were experiences that I would love to, um, make use of,
(29:17):
even if I'm not going into that career path.
I know they had, um, they have a great entrepreneurship center, um, businessdevelopment centers, and they're just such a wide range of majors that weather,
um, not saying that I'm going to change my major or something, but there are somany opportunities out there.
And the, um, the experience that I've gained from Oregon has shown me that Ican do a multitude of things in the business field.
SPEAKER1: Ah, I love that, Avery. (29:40):
undefined
How about you?
SPEAKER7: Um, so I'm planning on attending the University of Wisconsin Madison next year. (29:42):
undefined
Um, I'm planning on majoring in neurobiology in Spanish pre-med.
Um, and I chose to go to UW Madison for a lot of reasons.
One, it's one of the best schools in the area.
And then I also really like the fact that it was a level one research center,because I really want to get involved in research, and specifically because UW
(30:08):
Madison has a Alzheimer's Research Foundation.
And through my job, I've been doing youth apprenticeship for the last twoyears, and I work in memory care.
So I have seen the impacts that Alzheimer's and dementia has on people in theireveryday life.
And it's really sparked like a deep interest in that, which also with myinterest in neurobiology, that that pathway is really interesting to me and
(30:34):
something that I want to benefit because it also runs in my family.
So the fact that UW Madison has that research right there on campus, and youcan very much get into that your freshman year, you can
help everything with that research, and you can also branch out and do your ownresearch based on that.
That was really important to me, because that's something that I really want toget into, especially before going to med school and just learning like the
(31:00):
different aspects of what can I do?
I can become a doctor, but what other things could I be doing on the side?
SPEAKER1: Right on the side? (31:05):
undefined
That's, that's that's ambitious and I love it.
How about you, Cheyenne?
SPEAKER6: Yeah, so I'm attending UW platteville this fall to major in animal science. (31:11):
undefined
So in order to get my veterinary technician degree, I am going to be attendingeither Platteville for two years or transferring for my second year to MATC in
order to get my degree, since it only takes 2 to 3 years, which is kind of coolabout this degree.
(31:32):
And luckily, Platteville has kind of been my second home my whole entire life.
My grandma lived there her whole life, the whole side of my mom's family.
That's where they grew up.
And my grandma is an alumni who used to work for the athletic department.
My grandma and my uncle, my mom and my uncle went there for one year and fouryears for accounting as well as
(32:00):
police officer, and it's basically my second home.
We'd go there every two weeks just to go visit my grandma.
I know the town by heart, and the agriculture part of that college is insane.
Uh, UW Madison River Falls and Platteville were any of my choices.
(32:21):
But if I wanted to go to a college that I know I can financially afford andenjoy, I definitely chose
UW-platteville as my first pick.
SPEAKER1: And you said it's a popular choice for a lot of the students going into agriculture? (32:32):
undefined
Yeah. Agriculturally related things.
Yeah. Okay. Thank you.
And you Morgan?
SPEAKER5: So I'm not completely committed for sure, but I'm probably going to attend, uh, UW-Madison in the fall. (32:42):
undefined
Um, to major in computer engineering.
Um, I chose there as one of my top options, specifically because their collegeof engineering is really good for the area.
Right? It's pretty prestigious in terms of engineering.
(33:02):
Um, and just they have such a broad range of programs available.
But one of the things that SkillsUSA really preaches is just that you don'thave to go to a four year university they really like, because each of the
regional events are hosted at different technical colleges around the state.
Right. Each of them have their own little spiel about like, this is what youcan do at this college specifically, but you don't have to go to a university
(33:24):
for, um, because a lot of things in tech, ed, you really don't need abachelor's degree for.
And that's a really common misconception.
SPEAKER1: I'm glad you put that out there, that there's a lot of pathways available to students. (33:31):
undefined
It doesn't always have to be a four year university.
That's terrific.
And that's exactly the point that Cheyenne was making too.
So thank you. I can't wait to see what all of you are going to do.
Um, this has been really exciting to me to hear you talk about how your currentexperiences have prepared you, and then the sky's the limit
(33:58):
for all of you. So we're really proud of you.
You're about to be Oregon grads, and then in one more year, you'll be anOregon grad.
Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submittopic ideas on our website at OregonSD.Org/
podcast. You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
(34:22):
Make sure to subscribe if you're listening on one of these apps to getnotifications on the most recent episodes.
We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.
undefined
Today we are meeting up with our school to Career Coordinator at OHS, as wellas some students who are involved in the great opportunities that our program
offers.
SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids. (00:21):
undefined
Here is your host, lifelong educator in our superintendent, Doctor LeslieBergstrom.
SPEAKER1: I'd like to begin with our school to career coordinator. (00:35):
undefined
Could you please introduce yourself and tell our listeners about your role inthe Oregon School District?
SPEAKER3: Hi, my name is Anna D'Amelio, and I'm the School to Career coordinator here in the Oregon School District. (00:43):
undefined
And the main functions of my role is I support students who wish to participatein work based learning programs.
I support students who want to take classes, college classes off campus.
Um, I support CTE, which are "career and technical education" departments, um,by financially by writing grants.
(01:08):
Um, I have to collect and submit required data about our CTE programs to thestate.
Um, I also like to make a lot of connections with post-secondary partners andbusiness partners so that we can link the high school with our students and vice
versa.
SPEAKER1: So we have a really robust career and technical education department or CTE. (01:26):
undefined
Actually it's multiple departments here in the Oregon School District.
So could you tell me about our CTE departments and the offerings we have here?
Yeah.
SPEAKER3: Now this is a question that can be confusing in all sorts of districts that I've been in. (01:40):
undefined
And so I always like to be able to answer this question and put it out there that career and technical education is taught by multiple departments like Miss
Doctor Bergstrom had mentioned.
And here we have agriculture.
We have technology and engineering, we have business and informationtechnology, we have marketing, and we have family and consumer science
(02:05):
departments. Now, each of these departments branch into several differentcareer pathways.
For example, family and consumer science branches into areas such as education,hospitality and health care, um, technology and engineering branches into areas
such as automotive, architecture and construction, and manufacturing.
SPEAKER4: Wow. (02:25):
undefined
SPEAKER1: So how does CTE relate to our portrait of a graduate? (02:25):
undefined
SPEAKER3: Yeah, so it relates quite tightly, quite closely. (02:30):
undefined
Um, so students learn content and skills about their desired area.
They can earn industry recognized credentials.
They can, you know, participate in, in organizations, um, you know, that haveall sorts of different components in terms of leadership
(02:53):
development, volunteering, um, you know, skill development, networking.
Um, students are able to challenge themselves by taking dual credit classeshere and multiple CTE classes.
They can earn industry recognized credentials, um, so that it proves that theyhave competency in a certain in a certain skill set
(03:15):
because they have a state or a nationally endorsed certificate.
Um, they can also participate in certified work based learning programs, suchas youth apprenticeship or assisted childcare teacher and their desired pathway.
Um, so CTE classes do help students develop their competencies because theyhave rigorous experiences.
(03:36):
They need to be able to think critically and creatively in order to solve workand solve work problems that there isn't a textbook answer for.
Uh, challenging problems require challenging solutions.
Um, character development's the natural byproduct of student participation inCTE classes and programs.
CTE helps students prepare to be productive and contributing members ofsocieties and the society and the community where they're going to live and
(04:04):
serve in, um, and CTE classes and programs absolutely support students andtheir readiness and their post graduation world.
SPEAKER1: These are amazing opportunities. (04:13):
undefined
I definitely do not remember them being around when I was a high schoolstudent.
This is an outstanding way for students to really broaden their experiences inhigh school.
So what would you say to students who might be interested in exploring CTEclasses and work based learning programs, but not quite sure where it's going to
(04:36):
end up or what their real interest is?
What's their first step?
SPEAKER3: I think people don't know what they don't know about themselves, and I think it's important for them to take a chance and to broaden their, um, understanding (04:40):
undefined
and of themselves and to develop skills.
And so employers are interested in the skills that you bring to the table.
You also want to be able to network with people as well.
And CTE programs and classes allow students to do that.
(05:04):
And so I really think that you might take a class, maybe you take anengineering class and you think you want to be an engineer, and you take the
class and you're like, "I don't know if I really like doing this." That's good.
Because now you know that that's not something that really aligns with whatyou're interested in.
Maybe you take that engineering class and you say, "absolutely, where how can Isign up for more of this?" So either way, whether it's a class, whether it's a
(05:29):
CTSO, whether it's a work based learning program, you're going to be able totake some valuable, learn some valuable skills, and those skills are
transferable. So let's take that engineering example.
Let's say you did youth apprenticeship in an engineering firm because you tookthe classes, you loved it and then you finally decided, "I am going to try for a
work based learning experience." And maybe you're like, "I'm not sure aboutthis." Well, that time wasn't lost because you learned what maybe you don't want
(05:56):
to do and what you don't want to major in because you've experienced it outsideof the high school or you've decided, absolutely, "I am for sure going to such
and such a school to major in engineering, because I've lived it and I loveit."
SPEAKER1: That's a great way to put that. (06:10):
undefined
Thank you. Now we'll turn to our students.
So we have quite a few people sitting around the table today.
Can you also start by introducing yourself, your name, your grade in school?
The career focus that you have right now?
SPEAKER5: Um, my name is Morgan Spindler. (06:26):
undefined
I'm a senior at Oregon, and I'm pursuing engineering.
SPEAKER6: I'm Cheyenne Johnson, I'm a senior at Oregon High School, and I'm pursuing veterinary technician degree. (06:31):
undefined
SPEAKER7: My name is Ashley Olsen. (06:36):
undefined
I'm a junior at Oregon High School, and I plan on pursuing the agriculturalfield in veterinary medicine.
Um, my name is Avery Holtmann.
I am pursuing -- I'm a senior, and I'm pursuing a health care.
SPEAKER5: My name is Charlotte Swenson. (06:50):
undefined
I'm a senior at Oregon Science-- or Oregon High School, and I am pursuing anactuarial science degree.
SPEAKER1: Thank you. And we had a student who was planning to be here representing hospitality. (06:58):
undefined
So otherwise we have a wide variety of experiences and interests here.
So I'm really excited to learn more.
Tell us about how you became interested in your career pathway, types of skillsand content knowledge you learned in your classes that will align with that
(07:18):
career pathway.
And I'll start with you, Morgan.
SPEAKER5: So my interest in engineering started really early for me. (07:22):
undefined
I like to watch a lot of movies with my dad, and when he got me into the MarvelUniverse, I really liked the Iron Man movies.
Wow. Um, because all the engineering.
And that was super cool.
Um, and then my brother attends UW-platteville currently for an electricalengineering degree, and he showed me some of the classes he's taken, and I
(07:44):
always just thought it was really cool.
So it runs in
SPEAKER1: the family a little bit? Definitely. (07:46):
undefined
All right. So then tell me about the content knowledge and the skills from yourclasses that you're going to apply.
SPEAKER5: Um, so we offer a quite like plentiful amount when it comes to our tech ed um, like electronics foundations and technology, like engineering, drawing. (07:53):
undefined
Pretty much any like subfield of engineering, you can find a class or two herefor um, so I took as many of those as I can, and I'm applying a lot of that
to a future degree because I want to major in computer engineering.
(08:16):
Um, so like electronics is really relevant.
PC system servicing is really relevant.
Um, and I'm going to get a certification for that class at the end of the yearbecause it is dual enrollment with MATC.
SPEAKER1: So it sounds as if you've taken most things in the career and technical -- in one -- in that particular department? (08:26):
undefined
Yeah. Oh, that's really cool.
Thank you. Yeah, I kind
SPEAKER5: of live in the 900 hallway. (08:35):
undefined
SPEAKER1: That's a great place to live. (08:38):
undefined
Great place to live.
Uh, Cheyenne, how about you're next?
Yeah.
SPEAKER6: So, veterinary technician, I didn't really know it existed until about my freshman year of high school, so I started my ag career in the (08:43):
undefined
beginning, joining Oregon headliners 4H club.
It's a great way to start as I'm currently an FFA, and it's a great start forkids who maybe just want to bring their animals to the fair and basically
(09:05):
showcase their project.
They can even showcase art.
They can showcase plenty full of different things at the county fair and at thelocal fair level.
So when I got to high school, I found a class called Animals, Plants, and You.
And it was taught by Mrs.
Beaty. And it's basically a start to agriculture, learning about differentbreeds, learning the anatomy and physiology of all those breeds and
(09:31):
species and how they work and how they can apply to your real life.
And that's basically where my whole ag career really shot off is being in thatclass and being related with Miss Beaty as my advisor now,
and taking all the different classes offered in that classroom, and there'sanimals that even live in that classroom.
(09:54):
So there, sure, you can imagine there's so much opportunity there.
Yeah. And if you're not an animal person, there's a greenhouse right next doortoo.
So you can always take care of all the plants.
So there's a great start there.
And um, now I am a school to work student at Country View Equine Clinic.
And being an assistant there has really taught me how the technician can reallyhelp the veterinarian.
(10:19):
I didn't think that -- I thought mostly the veterinarian did a lot of things ontheir own or had some sort of office help, but the technician wasn't
present in my younger career as much as I wanted to.
Um, so now I kind of saw that they help with a lot of the procedures, makingsure everything's clean, getting things ready.
(10:41):
So I think school to career was a big boost.
And definitely knowing what I wanted to do.
SPEAKER1: Yeah, it helped you know what was out there. (10:46):
undefined
SPEAKER6: Uh, working in it. (10:48):
undefined
Yeah. And as well as that Animals, Plants, and You class, we studied differentcareers in the agriculture path.
And that was one of them that really interested me because as a kid, I reallywanted to be a veterinarian, but I didn't know if it was quite right for me.
So I wanted to help animals, and that was the other way to do it.
SPEAKER1: Wow. Thank you. (11:07):
undefined
Okay, Ashley, tell us your story.
SPEAKER7: So I'm a junior here. (11:11):
undefined
And I have taken a lot, of course-related work.
Um, when I was little, I said I always wanted to be a veterinarian, and I wasin the Brooklyn Mighty Mites 4H until my freshman year.
Um, and then I switched over to FFA once I realized this is really what Iwanted to do.
(11:32):
So my freshman year, I took the intro to AG class, and I learned this is what Iwant to do.
I want to be a veterinarian.
And it really solidified my ideas of that.
So growing up, I always did still projects at the local and county fairs.
I never did any animal projects.
Once I got to high school and I took Mrs.
Beaty's classes, I was like, "I want to do animal things.
(11:54):
I don't want to just sit in the back seat.
I want to be with the animals.
I want to be doing everything like that." So I have taken pretty much all ofthe agriculture education classes here at the high school.
And now this year, I am taking classes up at University of Wisconsin-Madison inthe veterinary hospital.
So I'm getting more of the real world.
(12:15):
This is what happens on a daily basis in the vet school or in the vet hospital,and it's really helped me to understand and continue my path in veterinary
medicine. Um.
SPEAKER1: How much of your day are you spending up at the UW? (12:29):
undefined
SPEAKER7: So I go to the UW two hours every week. (12:32):
undefined
So on Wednesdays I go to class, um, for two hours.
We typically have guest speakers.
Um, so this week we've been doing large animal guest speakers like ruminants,equine, all the things about that.
And in past weeks, we've learned, like every single part of the animal.
(12:53):
We go over all the anatomy and physiology.
So one week we'll learn about eyes and ears.
Another week we'll learn about the digestive system, the respiratory system,all of those things like that.
SPEAKER1: Um, so I'm just curious. (13:09):
undefined
Tell me about how you feel about the academic rigor related to the class you'retaking there and classes you might take here.
How much of a step up is it for you?
SPEAKER7: So yeah. So this class I'm taking is part of the youth apprentice program. (13:21):
undefined
Yeah. So all the students in my class this year are all high school students.
SPEAKER1: Got it. Okay. (13:29):
undefined
SPEAKER7: It's -- it's a really great community. (13:31):
undefined
There's like about 15 of us high school students.
I'm one of the few juniors in the class, but we have a course rigor weekly.
And we read chapters and we complete, um, related assignments.
So from an agriculture education class here, you're in the classroom every day.
(13:54):
Right. At this class, I'm in the classroom once a week, and then I have about 2to 3 assignments to complete before the next class.
Got it. It's definitely a step up, but I wouldn't say it's as hard as you mightthink it would be.
It's definitely towards that college level, but I'm very knowledgeable in theagriculture industry, so that helps me in learning things quicker.
(14:16):
Um, and because of all the course related work I've taken here at the highschool prior it, the class just builds on my learning.
It's not all new, which is very helpful.
And
SPEAKER1: exactly as it's designed to be. (14:25):
undefined
So that's wonderful.
Thanks for sharing that.
Um, all right, Avery.
SPEAKER7: So I'm interested in health care. (14:32):
undefined
I am interested in becoming a medical doctor.
Um, I have really wanted to be a doctor for almost my entire life.
Um, I grew up around the medical field because my mom is a nurse.
And then I also have experienced a lot of the medical field through myself,because I do have a chronic illness, that I have been benefited by the, um,
(14:56):
health care field for almost my entire life because of it.
Wow. Um, so coming into high school, I really knew that I wanted to dosomething in the medical field.
I was pretty set on being a doctor, but I wasn't quite sure what field I reallywanted to go into.
Um, and I've taken almost every single health care related class we haveoffered here.
(15:19):
And I after last year, my junior year, I took AP psych and I took anatomy andphysiology, and after taking those two classes, I just
really found my love for like, neurology.
And I, um, have decided that neuro and neurosurgery specifically is really myarea of focus.
(15:43):
I just find, like, the brain so interesting.
And by taking those two classes and kind of getting a mix of the very medicalside through anatomy and physiology and also the psychology side from AP
psychology, I was really able to like focus on that interest and see, like theside of medicine I want to focus
on.
SPEAKER1: Um, wow. That's fascinating. (16:04):
undefined
SPEAKER7: Yeah. And so I think almost every single one of my classes I've taken here, whether they have been focused on health care (16:06):
undefined
or something else entirely have helped me with different skills that I'm goingto need in the future.
Like communication, presenting all those kinds of things and just like havemade me like the learner and the
(16:33):
person that I am today.
And without those classes, I would probably still be trying to figure out whatI want to do, other than the fact that I wanted to go into health care.
And I think it's it's really important that I know that that's my interest now,because that's what I'm planning on majoring in and everything.
So I just feel like I've gotten such a good variety of information from allthose classes to be able to.
SPEAKER1: Yeah, I love how it was classes from different departments, even that when you synthesize them, it led to you knowing what you wanted to do. (16:59):
undefined
That's that's a unique aspect of your story.
Thank you. Okay, Charlotte, how about you?
SPEAKER5: Um, so pretty much for me, I've always loved math. (17:14):
undefined
Math has just been a huge part of my life.
I've -- I just love doing it.
Um, and so when I got to high school, I knew I wanted to do something withmath, but I didn't really know what, like, career fields were out there.
And so, um, I took obviously the basic math classes that you take.
(17:34):
And then, um, towards my later years in high school, I took a few businessclasses, and that includes accounting and, um, uh, business
economics and marketing and leadership one, I think.
And, um, so those classes really showed me how the math like aspect of life canbe applied to the business world.
(17:55):
And it really showed me that that's where I want to spend my future.
SPEAKER1: So you found you found an avenue for what you already knew you really love? (17:59):
undefined
SPEAKER5: Yes. And this year in accounting, um, my teacher, uh, um, wanted me to join the club FBLA, which we used to (18:04):
undefined
have at the high school. But, um, once Covid happened, it went away.
And now we're trying to bring it back.
And this year, there weren't that many kids that were able to do it because itwas very, um, quiet.
And but being at FBLA and being at the regional competition at Columbus thisyear, it really showed me that there's a whole world out there of people, even
(18:34):
though there was only like five people on our team.
There is a huge world out there of people that have the same interests orsimilar, and it just really showed me that there's my people out there.
Right.
SPEAKER1: It's comforting and energizing at the same time, right? (18:43):
undefined
Well, Charlotte, you already started talking about the career and technicalstudent organizations that we have here when you spoke about FBLA.
So now I'm going to go back over here to Morgan, and we'll start with whatassociations are you involved with?
SPEAKER5: So I'm very involved with SkillsUSA, which is our tech competition club here. (19:00):
undefined
It's a national organization.
Uh, but the Oregon chapter specifically has done a lot the past few years.
Yes. Um, they were pretty active before Covid.
And then once quarantine happened, like, because it would be hundreds of peoplemeeting up at colleges, that kind of had to stop.
(19:22):
Um, but once it came back, um, Hawk, who's one of the advisors for it, Mr.
Haakenson, he teaches a lot of the tech ed classes.
He saw that I was doing well and like his electronics class and other classessimilar.
And was like, "hey, you should join SkillsUSA." Yeah.
And I'm like, "okay, why not?" And then I went to one competition.
I did really well, and then I committed to it for the rest of the year.
(19:44):
And then the next year there were only a few people returning.
So a lot of the members were seniors.
Um, so I was elected president of that remaining group.
SPEAKER7: And well, congratulations on that. (19:53):
undefined
SPEAKER1: Okay. Thank you. (19:55):
undefined
That's really terrific.
So you've engaged in multiple competitions now?
Oh, yeah. Yeah. All right.
Thank you. Cheyenne, how about you?
SPEAKER6: Yeah. So this year I'm the secretary of the Oregon FFA chapter, and FFA is basically agricultural education. (20:06):
undefined
And one of the things our chapter has been specifically struggling with is howyou're supposed to maybe live on a farm to be an FFA.
And that's totally not true.
We have so many members that live in town.
That's a great
SPEAKER1: clarification. You don't have to live on a farm to be in agriculture. (20:26):
undefined
SPEAKER6: No, agriculture is so much a part of our daily life, and it can apply to many different things and careers that high school students may want to do. (20:31):
undefined
And recently we've had competitions for LDEs, or leadership development events,or CDEs, career development events.
And through FFA, we can compete with our knowledge of these careers or practiceour speaking and compete and basically learn about these career paths and
(20:57):
show what we know.
And it's a great opportunity for any high school student who's basicallylooking for any career paths through agriculture.
SPEAKER1: And there were quite a few medal winners at the last round of competition, so that's really cool too. (21:05):
undefined
Yeah. All right.
Ashley? Yeah.
SPEAKER7: So. I'm also in FFA. (21:13):
undefined
I'm currently the Vice president of the FFA.
Um, just as Cheyenne said, we're doing a lot this year with competitions.
Next week we go on to sectionals for our speaking competitions, and we'retaking about five students to at their chance to make it to the state
competition. And then also next week we're advancing.
(21:33):
Well, we're not advancing, but we are starting our career development events,and we are qualifying, um, to try to make it to state for those.
Wow. So we are hoping to make it to a lot of state events as of next week.
Um, but through FFA, I've been able to find my people.
Um, I've always kind of known that I wanted to be in the agricultural industry,and I did not grow up on a farm, and I did most of the things just
(22:01):
non-animal at the start.
And then FFA last year, I started showing poultry, and the opportunity came tome with FFA because of the people that I met.
Um, and I have gone to multiple state conventions, and I went to nationalconvention in Indianapolis this past November, and I met
(22:23):
people from all over the United States and the territories, which was so cool.
And through FFA, I've also been able to complete a lot of applications.
So in May of last year, I completed an application to serve as a Wisconsinnational delegate to elect the next year's national officers.
There were 15 applicants and I was one of the three interviewed.
(22:44):
I unfortunately did not receive the position, but I gained a lot of knowledgeof how interviews work.
So I completed the application and I pretty much went into that interviewpretty blind.
I did
SPEAKER1: not know (22:57):
undefined
SPEAKER7: what they were going to ask me how things were going to go, and it was just on the spot. (22:58):
undefined
I had to do it.
That opportunity helped me with my job interviews that I've been completing.
So I currently have a youth apprentice at a doggy daycare, and now I'm applyingfor vet clinics around the area.
And what I've learned in FFA has helped me with those interviews, and they'regoing to help me with my future interviews.
(23:24):
And I'm advancing to sectionals, um, for next Wednesday in employment skills.
So I've really taken FFA in the competition in employment skills and learningall those industry related knowledge to actually applying it while also
learning it, which is a huge thing because organizations like this give you theopportunity to practice, to learn as well as applying it.
(23:47):
And this also goes with the Agriculture Education has a three circle model.
We have the education in the classroom, our SAE programs which are supervisedagricultural experiences, and then the FFA organization.
And my experience with employment skills has really started to shape my threecircle model into a stronger one and enforce it in FFA.
SPEAKER1: So you, uh, speak about this so well. (24:09):
undefined
Is that one of your events to be able to speak about this?
Um, no. No.
Okay. I thought maybe it was connected.
SPEAKER7: So basically for employment skills, I fill out all these applications and then I go into the room pretty blind of what they're gonna ask me. (24:21):
undefined
Oh, so
SPEAKER1: the interview piece is that. (24:27):
undefined
Okay.
SPEAKER5: So yeah, you go (24:29):
undefined
SPEAKER7: into -- you go into a room, you fill out a job application, you've completed your resume or cover letter and a job description prior to going to the event. (24:31):
undefined
And then the biggest scoring piece is the interview.
SPEAKER1: So it's how you -- how you answer questions that you don't necessarily know ahead of time what they're going to be. (24:43):
undefined
So it's a true interview?
Yeah.
SPEAKER7: It's -- it was definitely hard. (24:51):
undefined
It was my first year competing in it.
But I, I did very well.
And learning that is definitely going to help me.
And just being put on the spot is a huge thing in any career path that you endup going into, because it's the truth.
Yes, maybe you're going to meet someone and there's going to be an on spotinterview.
(25:12):
You just never know.
So creating those skills through the FFA has helped me majorly.
SPEAKER1: Thank you. So, um, Avery, tell us about your career and technical student organization. (25:17):
undefined
Um, so.
SPEAKER7: I have been involved in Hosa since my freshman year. (25:23):
undefined
Um, I've actually been leadership in the club since my freshman year as well.
I was originally the secretary, then my sophomore year I was the vicepresident.
And then the last two years I've been a co-president, and now I'm just thepresident this year.
Um, I have done a lot of competing with my club.
Um, Hosa has, um, competitions every year.
(25:45):
We have a regional, then a state and then an international.
Um, my sophomore year, I actually advanced to the international level, um, inhuman growth and development, um, test.
So we write a test or we do like competitions, like group competitions or justspecific, like individual competitions, like there's a CNA one, there's
(26:07):
like medical assistant.
Um, and so my sophomore year I actually went to the international competitionalone, which was in Nashville, Tennessee.
I went there with my parents.
Um, I just really wanted the experience.
And by going and doing that, um, I learned a lot of how to make connections andhow to reach out to other people and not
(26:30):
be afraid to just be myself and a specific group and just talking to peoplearound me.
I was able to learn, like, all the different kinds of things people want to go,to go into in the medical field and just talking to other people.
I was able to see a different perspective of why people want to go into themedical field, why people are in Hosa, what kinds of things they do in their
(26:53):
chapters. And it was just a really great experience to learn all of thoseskills and learn about just other people in the medical field as well, and
different career paths in the medical field.
Um, and also through our chapter of Hosa here at Oregon High School, we havebeen trying to make it bigger.
(27:13):
Right now it's very small.
Um, it has been bigger in the past.
But just as the years go on, um, so reaching out and like the classes likeIntro to Occupational Health or Medical Terminology and asking those students if
they would want to join.
And then we also last year we ran a blood drive at the school here, and I ledthat and put it together.
(27:35):
It was not easy, but I bet we met our goal we got, I think it was 45 donationsaround from the students and other people in the
community. And just by doing that, we're helping not only our specificcommunity, but other people around the world.
Because the Red cross is such a amazing organization.
(27:56):
And right now we're we have a blood shortage around the world.
Um, and just getting to facilitate that was also a great opportunity to learnthese different skills.
And just being personable with other people and going to administration andgoing to other people in the community and
SPEAKER1: learning how to make things happen. (28:16):
undefined
Exactly. You know, I'm listening to all of you.
And as you're speaking, I'm thinking you're all really the personification ofour portrait of a graduate with the experiences you've had, the way you've
opened yourself up to new experiences, and then all the skills you arecultivating through that, it's it's outstanding.
(28:38):
So now I'm just going to ask our seniors right now.
So you're in your final few months.
Okay. All but one student here is a senior.
So I'm going to start with Charlotte.
So tell us what's next for you.
SPEAKER5: Um, I plan to attend Iowa State for actuarial Science and I am very excited. (28:53):
undefined
I have toured before and I just loved the campus.
And, um, I specifically loved the business college.
There were so many opportunities, um, that not necessarily applied to me, butthat were experiences that I would love to, um, make use of,
(29:17):
even if I'm not going into that career path.
I know they had, um, they have a great entrepreneurship center, um, businessdevelopment centers, and they're just such a wide range of majors that weather,
um, not saying that I'm going to change my major or something, but there are somany opportunities out there.
And the, um, the experience that I've gained from Oregon has shown me that Ican do a multitude of things in the business field.
SPEAKER1: Ah, I love that, Avery. (29:40):
undefined
How about you?
SPEAKER7: Um, so I'm planning on attending the University of Wisconsin Madison next year. (29:42):
undefined
Um, I'm planning on majoring in neurobiology in Spanish pre-med.
Um, and I chose to go to UW Madison for a lot of reasons.
One, it's one of the best schools in the area.
And then I also really like the fact that it was a level one research center,because I really want to get involved in research, and specifically because UW
(30:08):
Madison has a Alzheimer's Research Foundation.
And through my job, I've been doing youth apprenticeship for the last twoyears, and I work in memory care.
So I have seen the impacts that Alzheimer's and dementia has on people in theireveryday life.
And it's really sparked like a deep interest in that, which also with myinterest in neurobiology, that that pathway is really interesting to me and
(30:34):
something that I want to benefit because it also runs in my family.
So the fact that UW Madison has that research right there on campus, and youcan very much get into that your freshman year, you can
help everything with that research, and you can also branch out and do your ownresearch based on that.
That was really important to me, because that's something that I really want toget into, especially before going to med school and just learning like the
(31:00):
different aspects of what can I do?
I can become a doctor, but what other things could I be doing on the side?
SPEAKER1: Right on the side? (31:05):
undefined
That's, that's that's ambitious and I love it.
How about you, Cheyenne?
SPEAKER6: Yeah, so I'm attending UW platteville this fall to major in animal science. (31:11):
undefined
So in order to get my veterinary technician degree, I am going to be attendingeither Platteville for two years or transferring for my second year to MATC in
order to get my degree, since it only takes 2 to 3 years, which is kind of coolabout this degree.
(31:32):
And luckily, Platteville has kind of been my second home my whole entire life.
My grandma lived there her whole life, the whole side of my mom's family.
That's where they grew up.
And my grandma is an alumni who used to work for the athletic department.
My grandma and my uncle, my mom and my uncle went there for one year and fouryears for accounting as well as
(32:00):
police officer, and it's basically my second home.
We'd go there every two weeks just to go visit my grandma.
I know the town by heart, and the agriculture part of that college is insane.
Uh, UW Madison River Falls and Platteville were any of my choices.
(32:21):
But if I wanted to go to a college that I know I can financially afford andenjoy, I definitely chose
UW-platteville as my first pick.
SPEAKER1: And you said it's a popular choice for a lot of the students going into agriculture? (32:32):
undefined
Yeah. Agriculturally related things.
Yeah. Okay. Thank you.
And you Morgan?
SPEAKER5: So I'm not completely committed for sure, but I'm probably going to attend, uh, UW-Madison in the fall. (32:42):
undefined
Um, to major in computer engineering.
Um, I chose there as one of my top options, specifically because their collegeof engineering is really good for the area.
Right? It's pretty prestigious in terms of engineering.
(33:02):
Um, and just they have such a broad range of programs available.
But one of the things that SkillsUSA really preaches is just that you don'thave to go to a four year university they really like, because each of the
regional events are hosted at different technical colleges around the state.
Right. Each of them have their own little spiel about like, this is what youcan do at this college specifically, but you don't have to go to a university
(33:24):
for, um, because a lot of things in tech, ed, you really don't need abachelor's degree for.
And that's a really common misconception.
SPEAKER1: I'm glad you put that out there, that there's a lot of pathways available to students. (33:31):
undefined
It doesn't always have to be a four year university.
That's terrific.
And that's exactly the point that Cheyenne was making too.
So thank you. I can't wait to see what all of you are going to do.
Um, this has been really exciting to me to hear you talk about how your currentexperiences have prepared you, and then the sky's the limit
(33:58):
for all of you. So we're really proud of you.
You're about to be Oregon grads, and then in one more year, you'll be anOregon grad.
Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submittopic ideas on our website at OregonSD.Org/
podcast. You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
(34:22):
Make sure to subscribe if you're listening on one of these apps to getnotifications on the most recent episodes.
We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.
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