Press release
from Buncombe County Schools
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — June 7, 2013 — The Buncombe County Schools Career Technical Education Program (CTE) invited all middle and high school students to participate in a logo design contest sponsored by CityMac. The goal of the contest was to create a new logo to symbolize the transformation the CTE program has experienced from its early vocational roots to a new emphasis on preparing students to be both college and career ready with technology, strong business partnerships and real world experience.
“CTE helps schools empower students for effective participation in an economy demanding 21st century skills,” explained Buncombe County Schools CTE Director Christy Cheek. “CTE in Buncombe County is in the process of phasing out programs that are no longer relevant, fostering partnerships with business and industry, and aligning course content to major economic development industry clusters. Our program is a rigorous pathway to post-secondary education as well as being able to obtain industry credentials before leaving high school.”
Thomas Halbert, a student at Clyde A. Erwin High School, created the winning design and received the prize of an iPad from contest sponsor CityMac at a Buncombe County Schools Board of Education meeting on June 6.
“I was so excited to be a part of this logo competition, because I truly love doing graphic design,” said Halbert.” I am thankful that I won and that it will be my logo being used.”
CityMac sponsored the contest by providing the winner with an iPad. “We’re offering an iPad to the winner of the logo contest to show how much we believe in the importance of teaching technology to students,” said Nelly Neu. She and her husband own CityMac in Asheville.
Some of the 21st century programs that are free and available to students at Buncombe County’s public middle and high schools through CTE provide certification, such as a Nursing Fundamentals CNA, Construction/Core & Sustainability OSHA certification, Microsoft certification, and ServSafe certification.
According to the North Carolina Association for Career Technical Education (NCACTE), a ratio of one CTE class for every two academic classes minimizes the risk of students dropping out. Plus, the more CTE courses students take, the less likely they are to suffer periods of unemployment.
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