Elgin ISD CTE Newsletter
Maggie Howard, M.Ed.
Director of CCMR, CTE & PTECH
Elgin Independent School District
Advanced Floral Blooms Monthly Arrangements 💐
Advanced Floral Design, a new course in the Plant Science program of study, is preparing its first floral arrangement for the Floral of the Month subscription program. Students design seasonal arrangements and deliver them to customers across the district as part of a fundraising initiative that provides valuable hands-on learning experiences.
Food Science Gets the Scoop on Blue Bell 🍦
Students in the Food Science program traveled to Brenham, Texas, for a behind-the-scenes visit to Blue Bell Creameries. Guided by a food scientist and nutritionist, students explored product development, quality assurance and safety, process engineering, technology, and industry connections. And of course, the tour wrapped up with a scoop of ice cream!
Constructing Careers at Industry Fairs 🚧
Students in the welding and P-TECH welding programs recently attended the Construction Industry Education Foundation (CIEF) Trade Day in Travis County, where they explored real-world activities within the built environment. Students engaged with simulators, industry equipment, and connected with professionals from a variety of construction-related fields.
NJROTC Attends Fleet Week ⚓
Naval JROTC Cadets explored Navy aircraft at the Lone Star Flight Museum, tested their skills in a flight simulator, and engaged with hands-on science and technology exhibits featuring unmanned aircraft and historical aviation displays as part of the Navy Fleet Week in Galveston.
Food Science Takes the Cake! 🍰
Students from the Food Science and Technology program showcased their talents in the Elgin Hogeye Dessert Contest — and their hard work paid off with 2nd and 3rd place placements in the youth category!
EVs & Veterans 🚗
The Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps marched proudly in the Veterans Day Parade on November 8. The Automotive program's Electric Vehicle (EV) trailed behind, thanks to some support from Elgin Automotive, representing CTE programs within the community!
The American FFA Degree shows an FFA member’s dedication to his or her chapter and state FFA association. It demonstrates the effort FFA members apply toward their supervised agricultural experience (SAE), and the outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement they exhibited through their FFA career.
This is the highest degree the National FFA Organization can bestow upon an FFA member. Less than 1% of FFA members earn the American FFA Degree.
We are proud to announce EHS Alumni Paden Maass was awarded this honor at the 98th National FFA Convention in October. Cheyenne Stratton was awarded this same honor at the 96th National FFA Convention in 2023. These outstanding alumnus are the only two Elgin High School graduates to have received the American FFA Degree.
Fourth- and fifth-grade students in the ACE program at Neidig Elementary recently had the opportunity to learn about college, career, and military readiness pathways in Elgin ISD. CTE staff and students shared their experiences, with Director of CCMR & CTE providing an overview of available opportunities. Instructors Michael Silkett (Automotive Technology) and Ashton Howell (Teaching and Training) visited to highlight their programs and the hands-on learning they offer.
Shir’Mira Williams, a Teaching and Training student and President of TAFE (Texas Association of Future Educators), also spoke, sharing how the program has influenced her goals and future plans.
On November 7, the CTE Department held the Fall CTE Advisory Meeting and Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) review, with approximately 60 attendees representing CTE staff, district personnel, industry partners, and community members.
The meeting included a review of current CTE enrollment data across secondary campuses, an overview of the Culinary Arts lab in the new Homestead facility presented by the Huckabee team, and an in-depth analysis of Perkins V performance indicators. Participants engaged in breakout sessions to evaluate program data, labor market needs, and special population and demographic trends. Discussions also focused on key priorities such as teacher recruitment and retention, academic alignment, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure all students and programs are well supported.
The next meeting will be held in the Spring semester. Those interested in participating on the CTE Advisory Team are encouraged to complete the interest form in the partner section of this newsletter.
Elgin High School’s Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program welcomed visitors from Smithville ISD for a tour of the EHS welding facilities as SISD begins developing its own P-TECH initiative.
Pictured (L–R) are Elgin ISD’s Director of CCMR, CTE & P-TECH, Maggie Howard, and ACC P-TECH Welding Instructor, Kyle Nutter; and from Smithville ISD, School Improvement Coordinator, Misty Vasquez; Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Bethany Logan; SHS Principal, Tucker Copeland; and Superintendent, Dr. Molley Perry.
EISD was proud to host the visit and showcase our facilities and the outstanding work of our students!
EISD Maintenance Department Repurposes Equipment for Hands-On Learning in HVAC Program
Following recent unit replacements across the district, the Elgin ISD Maintenance Department’s HVAC team repurposed old equipment rather than disposing of it. The team delivered the retired HVAC units and additional electrical components to the Elgin High School CTE department, where they will now serve as training resources for students in the HVAC and Electrical programs of study.
This partnership provides students with valuable, hands-on learning opportunities using real-world industry materials. Pictured are the units that students will now use to gain practical experience with commercial HVAC equipment—offering relevant, industry-aligned training.
Thank you to the Elgin ISD Department of Maintenance and Operations for their consideration and support of CTE programs, and transfer of equipment between facilities!
