More than 50 Springdale Public Schools students from Archer Learning Center, Don Tyson School of Innovation and Har-Ber and Springdale high schools participated in a Career and Technical Education Signing Day May 2 in the Springdale High School gymnasium.
Participating students committed to apprenticeships and employment positions, such as plumbing and electrical apprenticeships, patient care technicians, Instructional assistants, pastry chefs, industrial maintenance specialists and environmental service technicians with multiple Northwest Arkansas employers at the event.
"The world is changing rapidly, and it's more important than ever that we prepare our students for the jobs of tomorrow," said Dr. Jared Cleveland, Springdale Public Schools superintendent. "The connection between education and the workforce is essential for our economy and society."
Mike Rogers, Arkansas Chief Workforce Officer, was the event's keynote speaker.
Rogers said he was proud of the participating students, who had caught the vision that's accessible through career and technical education.
"This is really just the launch. This isn't the end game," Rogers told the students.
The students are still developing as industry professionals, he said, and are putting themselves in position to have have future options within the Northwest Arkansas workforce.
Rep. Robin Lundstrum, Rodney Ellis, district Workforce Training director, Debbie Creek, School Board secretary, Clinton Bell and Eddie Ramos, School Board members, Dr. Marcia Smith, Shannon Tisher and Melissa Fink, the district Curriculum and Instruction team, and Kendra Clay, district general counsel, also attended the event.
Aaron Thomas, Don Tyson School of Innovation, committed to a position as an HVAC technician with Kimbel Mechanical Systems at the event.
"From here, I am planning on going to college for electrical engineering," Thomas said. "This program has helped me put my foot into the door of the trade, and I'll be able to learn the basic building blocks of most jobs in the industry while earning money to help pay for any schools."
Cleveland said the public education system has to keep up with the job market.
"Education needs to be adaptable and flexible. It needs to evolve alongside technological advancements and shifts in the job market," Cleveland said. "Education systems that are stuck in the past cannot prepare students for the jobs of the future."
Career and Technical Education Signing Day participants included:
Archer Learning Center
- Adriana Aldaco: Crossland Construction, Apprentice Carpenter
- Josef Ramirez: Marr’s Electric: Apprentice Electrician
Don Tyson School of Innovation
- Gabriel Alvarado: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Jacob Barnett: Northwest Arkansas Sheetmetal, Fabricator
- August Burns: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Brandon Castro: Brunner & Lay, Apprentice Machinist
- Emiliano Castro: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Jasmin Coronado Lopez: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Chance Earp: Brunner & Lay, Apprentice Machinist
- William Graef: Rise Baking Company, Information Technology
- Brady Henson: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Kyle Hernandez: Stribling Equipment, Diesel Technician Apprentice
- Austin Holt: Allied NWA, HVAC Technician
- Rita Hudson: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Hamzah Imbrahim: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Christian Mata-Venegas: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Brad Sparrow: Walmart Transportation, Diesel Technician Apprentice
- Kaylee Tharp: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Max Tisher: Brunner and Lay, Forge Technician
- Aaron Thomas: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Matilyn Townson: Springdale Public Schools, Instructional Assistant
- Epifanio Trejo Flores: Multi-Craft Contractors, Fabricator and Welder
- Jose Velazquez: Allied NWA, HVAC Technician
Har-Ber High School
- Hayden Burton: Davis Plumbing, Apprentice Plumber
- Donna Jones: Maples at Har-Ber Meadows, Certified Nursing Assistant
- Deon McDaniel: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, Apprentice Plumber
- Oscar Mendieta: Lightspeed Electrical Services, Technician
- Conner Nichols: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, Electrician
- Kemella Sayger: Elite Home Health, Certified Nursing Assistant
- Isaias Torres: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Sydney Wonnacott: Maples at Har-Ber Meadows, Certified Nursing Assistant
Springdale High School
- Dylan Artley: JD Enterprise Foundation, General Laborer
- Angel Bueno: Marr’s Electric, Apprentice Electrician
- Angel Bustamante: Multi-Craft Contractors, Apprentice Electrician
- Arthur Clark: Marr’s Electric, Apprentice Electrician
- Nickalus Collier: Springstreet Grill, Pastry Chef
- Andrew Galvan-Cendejas: Marr’s Electric, Apprentice Electrician
- Kelvin Gomez: Ground Zero Construction, Utilities Technician
- Jose Leon: Multi-Craft Contractors, Apprentice Electrician
- Hallie Lieutard: Mercy, Patient Care Technician
- Mickey Makabe: Tyson Foods, Cornish Tray Packer
- Kerwyn Mathews: ORC Products, Machinist
- Mario Melquiades: Multi-Craft Contractors, Apprentice Electrician
- Damian Mendoza-Razo: Tyson Foods, Industrial Maintenance
- Dylen Pike: Marr’s Electric, Apprentice Electrician
- Zoe Rogers: Northwest Medical Center, Environmental Service Technician
- Dakota Reed: Kimbel Mechanical Systems, HVAC Technician
- Bryson Scott: Marr’s Electric Apprentice Electrician
- Devon Tincher: ORC Products, Machinist
- Augustin Torres: Emery Sapp & Son, Concrete Finisher
- Fausto Vela: J & J Construction, Construction-Truck Driver
The signing day event was offered as part of Springdale Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education programming. Students engaged in CTE courses are both college and career ready. A variety of district CTE learning opportunities are available outside the classroom, to include internships, competitive events, field trips and professional networking. Students involved in CTE are more engaged, perform better and graduate at higher rates.