Interim Education Commissioner Kevin C. Brown, center, poses with the students after the recognition.

At its Feb. 4 meeting, the Kentucky Board of Education Celebrated February as National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month by recognizing students from each of the state’s nationally recognized career and technical student organizations. Interim Education Commissioner Kevin C. Brown, center, poses with the students after the recognition.
Photo by Kentucky Department of Education, Feb. 4, 2020

At its Feb. 4 meeting, the Kentucky Board of Education Celebrated February as National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month by recognizing students from each of the state’s nationally recognized career and technical student organizations.

The students recognized included:

  • Madison Hepp of Scott County High School, state vice-president of community service, Kentucky DECA Association;
  • Logan Justice of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County), state first vice-president, Kentucky Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Association;
  • Haley Nelson, Western Hills High School (Franklin County), state president, Kentucky FFA Association;
  • Afeef Shaik of Franklin County High School, state president, Kentucky Technology Student Association;
  • Samuel Brangers of Bullitt East High School (Bullitt County), member, Kentucky Future Business Leaders of America;
  • MaKayla Nelson of Franklin-Simpson Career and Technical Center, state president, Kentucky HOSA Future Health Professionals Association;
  • Christine Webb of Monroe County Area Technology Center, Kentucky SkillsUSA Association.

Every February, the national CTE community celebrates CTE Month® to raise awareness of the role that CTE has in readying students for careers and college. CTE Month is also a time to recognize and celebrate the CTE community members’ achievements and accomplishments nationwide. Each year as part of Kentucky’s annual CTE Month celebrations, a student leadership day is hosted at the state capitol. This year’s event, scheduled for Feb. 11, will allow hundreds of CTE students from across Kentucky to learn about the legislative process and provide the opportunity for one-on-one advocacy with their senators and representatives.

With almost 138,000 students engaged annually, Kentucky’s CTE students are preparing for careers in virtually every workforce sector and many of the state’s most in-demand, high-wage occupations across the state and nation. In these pathways, students are able to acquire necessary academic and technical skills related to their specific career pathway, while having the opportunity to also demonstrate essential employability skills through work-based learning opportunities, such as shadowing, internships, entrepreneurships and even registered youth apprenticeships. 

One of the most critical and unique aspects of CTE involvement includes the co-curricular student leadership organizations. These organizations allow CTE students to develop critical leadership skills, demonstrate civic engagement through service learning in their local communities and allow for the demonstration of skills through competitive events at the regional, state and national levels.