Oregon ACTE Newsletter

May 8th, 2025

Annual Conference Success

Well over 500 of you participated in our annual conference in Seaside last month. It was a fantastic and busy conference, with many breakouts, opportunities to connect, good food, and great weather! We hope that all of you that came had a chance to learn and to feel renewed for the rest of the year, and into the next! Your contacts from the Whova app will still be available for several months, so feel free to use it to reach out to that person you met at the conference!

Catapult your learning!

A reminder to all conference registrants: You have access to Catapult masterclass sessions throughout the year. Registrants should have received an email from Catapult recently that will allow you to access these opportunities throughout the year.

Oregon ACTE Award Winners

Administrator of the Year: Shareen Vogel, Lane ESD

“Shareen Vogel has been a driving force in implementing high-quality CTE programs across Region V for Lane Education Service District. Her leadership has been instrumental in aligning CTE programs with industry standards and ensuring students graduate with the skills needed to thrive in high-demand fields. She works tirelessly to foster partnerships with local industries, post-secondary institutions, and workforce organizations, creating robust pipelines for student success."

Counseling and Career Development Professional of the Year: Karen Demianew from Pendleton School District

“Karen demonstrates remarkable creativity in career exploration. She has introduced new initiatives that allow students to engage with career options in dynamic ways, including organizing job shadowing days and inviting industry professionals to conduct workshops. Her emphasis on cutting-edge career exploration activities, such as virtual career fairs and hands-on career labs, has broadened students' perspectives, equipping them with practical knowledge and inspiration. Her commitment to continuously improving career development practices is evident, and her work has inspired many students to explore fields they might not have otherwise considered.”

Post-Secondary Professional of the Year: Velda Arnaud

“Most recently, Velda contributed to implementing 2023 Senate Bill 3, which mandates a 0.5-credit personal finance course in high schools. As the sole community college representative on the statewide panel, she was instrumental in developing the course's student learning outcomes. Once approved, Velda quickly designed a corresponding community college course, navigated it through the curriculum approval process, and prepared it for dissemination to high schools by the following fall. Velda has also championed the development of dual-credit business courses as open educational resources. She leads her department in regularly updating these resources and sharing them with high school educators, ensuring a seamless transition for students from high school to college-level coursework.”

Teacher of the Year: Ronald Berg, Crook County High School

“Since the 1980s, Mr. Berg has been a teacher in various districts across Oregon, making a significant impact on preparing students for careers in the construction field. Many of his students have gone on to achieve success in the industry. Several past students are still in construction or have made an impact on the construction industry. His commitment to student success is evident in the innovative courses and hands-on experiences he has developed to equip his classes for the demands of the construction industry.

When you step into Mr. Berg’s construction classes, you’ll find students engaging with Paxton Patterson Building Skills modules to master the basics, as well as students working on advanced projects like the planning of constructing porches, sheds, remodeling of buildings, and more. The Construction program is based on three courses: Introduction to Construction Trades, Construction 2 and Construction 3. All of these courses emphasize the pillars of the construction trades, such as being on time, attendance, ability to work with others and respecting one another.

The progression of Mr. Berg’s courses ensures that by the time students reach Construction 3, they are equipped to plan, execute, and complete projects independently, with minimal guidance from Mr. Berg. He has also kept up with current industry standards and partners with current local contractors and suppliers. For competition, Mr. Berg has started a local construction club. Students complete projects and have the opportunity to compete in skill development, such as framing, against local high schools.”

Teacher wins Region V Award, on to National ACTE

Leah Ferguson, the Oregon ACTE New Teacher of the Year, is also the Region V Teacher of the year. She will now go on as a candidate for the national ACTE Teacher of the year award!!

Leah Ferguson, The Dalles High School

“Leah Ferguson, in her 3rd year as a new CTE teacher, has quickly taken the initiative to build an engaging and rigorous Digital Arts program for her students. In the program, students can progress from introductory design courses, where they learn the basics of Adobe software and work on simple graphic design projects, to advanced classes where they create experiences for both the school and the broader community of The Dalles. She also offers concurrent Digital Media and Yearbook where students create a weekly school news show and produce a 120 page yearbook throughout the school year.

Students have engaged in various hands-on experiences that are heavily involved in her community. These activities include designing and running a Haunted House, participating in the Cherry Festival Parade, and hosting a booth showcasing festival-themed merchandise designed, created, and sold by the students. They have also competed in local design competitions, such as creating the official Cherry Festival poster, designing the branding for the Hawk House food truck, and creating sensory pathways to be used in local elementary schools. These events and competitions reinforce the real-world value of their classroom learning and provide meaningful opportunities for students to showcase their skills.”