U-S Secretary of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was in Nebraska yesterday to see how one Omaha high school blends career-technical education, or CTE, with traditional classroom academics.
Secretary Cardona’s visit focused on the Career Pathways and mental health programs at Bryan High School, and he toured the school’s CTE academies – Urban Agriculture; Design & Construction; and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics,
Cardona said he came to Bryan “because you do it right,” calling Career Pathways a “more evolved” program by “not only connecting pathways to careers outside of school, but also pathways and skills that can transfer from one career to another.”
Cardona added that they’re good examples of how the country can better meet future demand for “high-skilled, high-paying” jobs expected through multiple Biden administration programs such as the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
After he talked with Bryan students, the secretary talked with principals, superintendents, and therapists in a roundtable about mental health services provided to students, especially those in rural communities.
Cardona concluded his Nebraska visit by driving to nearby La Vista to talk about mental health and rural students.
Yeah, Talking to kids in Omaha about RURAL mental health issues will get to the heart of the matter.
The event concerning mental health was not held at Omaha Bryan with Bryan students, but at ESU #3 in La Vista with school officials and organizations from the surrounding area, including those from rural communities. The visit to Bryan highlighted the College & Career Academies of Urban Agriculture (started in 2012-13), Transportation, Distribution & Logistics (started in 2013-14) and Design & Construction (started this year in academy format, but have always had the classes). Student discussion centered around their career tech ed opportunities.
The comments that the U. S. Secretary of Education made regarding the Omaha Public School’s College & Careers Pathway programming validates those of us from the community who spoke in favor of the program at the OPS Board of Education meeting when there were a couple of OPS board members and a few community individuals who were not in favor of this programming for students. As we mentioned then, not every student will be college bound and if we want to keep our young people in the State we have to provide jobs that will keep them here! There are a plethora of careers in the Omaha & surrounding communities, and the College and Pathways program exposes students to those careers. There are so many students who would never have an opportunity to know of them much less to be able to be trained in those careers were it not for the College & Career Pathways programming and they can get experience and ultimately be offered full employment out of high school with awesome pay and fulfilling careers (some currently have internships at those businesses). If they aren’t satisfied with their first selection, they can change and their curriculum can be tailored to their new interests. We know it is difficult to accept change but if we keep doing the same thing the same way we will continue to get the same results and our young people will continue to leave the State! I commend the current Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Cheryl Logan for fighting to get this program started and sustaining it. Dr. Logan stated that “there is a district wide commitment to prepare all students for success in college, career and life.” The Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona’s visit focused on the Career Pathways at Bryan High School, and he toured the school’s CTE academies – Urban Agriculture; Design & Construction; and Transportation (CTE), Distribution and Logistics. Cardona said he went to Bryan “because they do it right,” calling Career Pathways a “more evolved” program by “not only connecting pathways to careers outside of school, but also pathways and skills that can transfer from one career to another.” We congratulate all of the staff and students who have adjusted to cutting edge learning!