Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 3/1/2022 8:30:00 AM

Centennial School District partners with the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL) to provide high school students with the opportunity to explore their career interests and passions. CAL takes an in-depth approach to learning and provides career-specific training for students.  

Approximately 100 junior and senior-students from Centennial High School participate in CAL annually. Centennial School District is one of three participating school districts at CAL, among Gresham-Barlow and Reynolds School Districts.

Every student takes four classes at CAL each year, along with their required classes at their respective high school. Student Aaron M., a junior in Centennial, is currently enrolled in the following classes – CAD: Computer-Aided Design, English, Introduction to Engineering, and Manufacturing Lab. In these classes, Aaron is currently at work on oxy-acetylene welding projects; 3D engine designs and printing; and even a rocket project, in which students must calculate mass, speed, and acceleration in an attempt to land their rockets in the same exact location.

Aaron’s experience at CAL has been extremely positive. He shared, “I love learning about these things and interacting with others who have similar interests to me. Plus, the classroom environment is similar to a work environment. It’s exciting and a great experience for the future!”

Aaron has dreams of becoming a Diesel Technician at Ford someday. From working on his family’s Ford F-250 to the skills he learns every day in his classes – Aaron is well on his way. 

When asked what advice he’d give to other students, Aaron responded this way: “Always pursue your passions and interests deeper and further. And if you have the chance, I’d definitely recommend taking courses at CAL. You will get very valuable skills here. I’m really glad I joined CAL. It’s been really fun with so many important upsides and opportunities.”

Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 2/25/2022 8:20:00 AM

We’re continuing our Career and Technical Education (CTE) highlights and this week we’re shining a spotlight on Centennial High School’s Technology courses. These classes include Introduction to Computer Science, Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science, among others. 

Recently, students in Mr. Clarke’s classroom at Centennial High School shared their experience learning about computer science. Student Phillip B. put it this way: “In this class, there’s a lot of problem-solving and that’s my favorite part. It’s like working on a puzzle... I’d like to become a software developer in the future.”

Another student, Jaiden P., added: “Coding is new to me, but I really enjoy trying to solve something and being presented with challenges to overcome and fix. Sometimes a code is missing and I’ve learned it’s fine to make mistakes and try again. Plus, the class is fairly self-paced and it’s pretty fun! I am interested in a job in IT and I think this class will really help prepare me for that future.”

Intro to Computer Science students focus on learning the basics: what is programming? What is functioning? What is a bug? They learn programming language, styles, graphics, and control structures. Whereas, AP Computer Science students delve deeper into problem-solving and algorithm development, among other skills.

Student Cynthia A. explained that her favorite part of computer science is learning how to code. “The computer works in so many ways and it’s not like a person where if you talk to them and you say something wrong, you can explain yourself and they’ll automatically understand you,” she said. “You have to be really precise with the computer. You can’t make a mistake or it won’t understand you, and I like the challenge. I am working toward a STEM career because I really like math. It’s my favorite subject. Before this class, I always had the idea that I wanted to do something with technology too. I know this class will help me alot and give me a deeper understanding of computer science.”

Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 2/19/2022 10:00:00 AM

A new semester is underway at Centennial High School (CHS) and students are making the most of their time to learn. CHS offers a variety of Career and Technical Education classes for students to focus on unique skills and prepare them for future careers. 

The Industrial Technology courses are one such example. These classes include Exploratory Metals, Metals 1-4, Advanced Metals Projects, and Metal Fabrication. Centennial High School teacher Mr. Burcham teaches these classes and his students range from 9th-12th grade. 

Students learn a variety of skills in the Industrial Technology classes, including welding, machining, shop safety, and more. The classes are designed to prepare students for entry into the metal-manufacturing trades.

Industrial Technology students are currently working toward individual projects. Some are working to design nameplates. Others are making intricate tools or decorations. Recently, students in Mr. Burchman’s class practiced their welding. Here’s what some students had to say about their experience:

“I’m planning to be an electrician. There’s definitely some welding that comes along with that, especially if I’m going to be laying wire or welding a tube together or bending it,” said student Hayden C. “I’ve always enjoyed building things. I really liked Legos as a kid. Working with metal is the adult version of Legos in my opinion.”

“It’s all about practice and learning what works,” says Student Abram R. “I am hoping to keep getting better at welding. One of the projects I am working on is fixing a hammer that I already made. I want to modify it, so I can make it better and it turns out how I want it.”

Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 2/10/2022 9:30:00 AM

We are highlighting a variety of courses that emphasize career skills and set our students up for success in and out of the classroom. The Youth Transition Program (YTP) incorporates career-related learning to help prepare students for life after high-school through career exploration and gaining valuable work experience. Students have the opportunity to take part in job clubs, workplace readiness workshops, paid internships, and supported job searches.

YTP even spurs on the creation of student run businesses. Recently, students in Mr. Pollard’s class learned what it’s like to start their own silk screen business! They assembled a t-shirt press, created tie-dyed t-shirts, and are learning the screen-printing process. The photos here showcase students at work on the silk screen business.

“One of my favorite moments of this year was the day we brought in the screen printing press,” says Kristina Dowell, YTP Transition Specialist for Centennial. “It was in a box with many pieces and no instructions, just a picture of it completed. We opened the box and the students put it together in 2 class periods. It was like magic in the air.” 

She adds, “The most important part of YTP is that it is student centered and student driven...The hands-on experience is invaluable.”

Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 2/4/2022 10:00:00 AM

February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) month! This month we are highlighting a variety of CTE courses offered in Centennial School District. Today’s highlight is our culinary classes.

Mr. Schumacher’s Exploring Culinary Arts and Hospitality classes at Centennial High School introduce students to skills used in the food and hospitality industry that they can apply to a future career and in their daily lives! Also, these classes allow students to work on their Food Handlers Certification cards and learn valuable culinary practices, such as safe food handling, sanitization, basic cooking methods and kitchen equipment uses, menu-planning, recipe conversions, and food trends. 

“Cooking brings people together and ripples out into so many areas of life. Food is at the center of everything,” says Mr. Schumacher. “In class, we focus on the basics, but I also try to provide them with new ideas to be creative, and expose them to dishes and ingredients from a variety of cultures.”

Dishes range from stir fry noodles, chili lettuce wraps, pies, side salads, and more. The first half of the week students focus on worksheets and learning materials and the second half of the week, they focus on cooking. When asked what they have learned from the class, students' answers ranged from “knowing what pans and utensils to use for what dishes” to “learning how to work better as a team.”

Student Duyen N. put it this way: “I love working in a team atmosphere in this class. I’ve learned great communication skills that will only make me a better classmate and person…We usually try to stick pretty close to the recipes, but sometimes we customize it and add more seasonings.”

Recently, in Schumacher’s Exploring Culinary Arts and Hospitality class, students made pizzas from scratch for their final exams. The students were given a recipe to follow, but they were able to add their own original toppings and seasonings. Some students even strayed from the recipe and created elaborate homemade calzones and pizza rolls instead. Schumacher graded the students based on three areas: cleanliness, completion, and feedback.

“Even though most of the recipes we make are pretty simple, like pasta or pizza, we learn a wide variety of dishes,” says student Savannah P. “It’s really neat to know the basics and cooking needed in life to survive and prepare food for yourself and your family…This class is definitely a privilege and I would recommend people take this class. You learn so much!”

Posted by Allison Macy-Steines on 2/2/2022 11:20:00 AM

The month of February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. The month is a time to increase awareness and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs. In Centennial, we offer an array of CTE courses such as metals, culinary arts and hospitality, entrepreneurship, computer information science, early childhood education, accounting and business management, and more. Stay tuned as we feature students at work in some of our CTE classrooms throughout the month.