THE ACADEMIC CORNER
CTAE at W-WCHS - not just vocational education

The CTAE (Career, Technology and Agriculture Education) Department is a source of pride at Washington Wilkes. W-W offers Family and Consumer Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Healthcare Sciences Technology Education and Agricultural Education. Each program consists of classroom and laboratory experiences, work-based learning directly related to the program, and a cocurricular student organization.

W-WCHS is an active member of the Athens Tech Prep Consortium and, as such, offers students the opportunities to earn postsecondary credits while still in high school. Students in aligned courses have the opportunity to earn credit at one of Georgia's technical colleges when they enroll. WWCHS offers two English courses for dual enrollment under the ACCEL program. Currently, twenty seniors will receive credit for ATC 101 and 193 without leaving the W-WCHS campus. These courses equate to English 1101 and 1102 in universities.

College prep students are encouraged to seek a CTAE endorsement in addition to college prep requirements. A CTAE endorsement helps to prepare students for a future career and helps them get a taste for what they might want to do in college and after college. A CTAE endorsement also gives students the opportunity for work-based learning experiences, such as internships and co-op and clinical experiences. Approximately 24% of the 2006 graduating class earned a CTAE endorsement while earning the college prep endorsement.

The CTAE Department offers Career Technology Student Organizations (CTSOs) in each program area. A total of 211 high school students are active members of the CTSOs. Membership is as follows: Future Business Leaders of America, 20 members; FFA, 140 members; FCCLA (Family, Career, Community Leaders of America), 26 members; and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), 25 members. All organizations are actively involved in community service projects. HOSA, FBLA, and FFA members compete on the local, state, and national levels. Our FACS and FCCLA placed 2nd in State STAR events in 2002. FFA boasts firsts and second place awards in many various events.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
The Office Cat	2
Neighborhood vandalism is out of control	1
The Office Cat	1
Drug problem growing; little is being done	1
The Office Cat	1
Family escapes death in semi hit-and-run	1
Feed a family of four for $10 a week	1