High Desert CTE-STEM Newsletter

We are proud to announce the 25-26 Skilled Trades Scholarship winners, Wyatt and Josie!

Wyatt is a Lakeview High School graduate who was part of the construction and agriculture programs. He plans to attend the Peterson Cat program where he will train to become a mechanical technician. Lake County School District #7

Josie is a Ridgeview High School student who completed the CNA program. She plans to continue her education in health sciences and become a physician's assistant so she can help others. Redmond School District

The scholarship is funded from a portion of vendor fees for the annual Skilled Trades Fair and other donations directly for the scholarship. Students must have completed at least 2 years in a career technical education program at their school and be pursuing a career in a CTE field.

On May 15, forty students from LaPine Middle School spent the morning at the COCC Bend campus participating in an immersive Disaster Simulation designed to introduce them to careers that play a critical role in emergency response.

Students were presented with a flood scenario, recorded by Ridgeview HS broadcast journalism students, impacting their community and rotated through three hands‑on career stations. With guidance from industry professionals, they explored what it’s like to work as a graphic designer, a drone operator, and a search and rescue specialist. Each session included a brief career overview followed by an activity that let students step directly into the role — from designing emergency communication materials to navigating drones through simulated rescue challenges.

After an engaging morning, students enjoyed lunch together in the COCC cafeteria, getting a small taste of campus life. The day wrapped up with a presentation from the Deschutes County Disaster Preparedness Team, who shared how local agencies coordinate during emergencies and how community members can stay ready.

The experience gave students a meaningful look at the diverse professions involved in keeping communities safe — and sparked plenty of curiosity about future pathways in engineering, technology, and public safety.

Interested in learning how to embed the Higher Education and Career Path Skills (HECPS) standards from Senate Bill 3 into a CTE class? Join us for an engaging, hands-on workshop where you will learn strategies to integrate HECPS standards, collaborate with other CTE teachers, and create a scope and sequence. The workshop will be held August 18-19 at the High Desert ESD. We will provide mileage, meals, and a stipend. For more information, check out this flyer or register here!

Bend Tech Academy's Business Leadership students hosted "The District Cup," a community golf tournament on May 15 at River's Edge Golf Course in Bend, Oregon. The event brought together staff from 11 schools across the Bend-La Pine School District, along with community partners, for an afternoon of friendly competition and fun. All proceeds benefited student leadership and the DECA program at BTA.

Sponsors were recognized at multiple levels throughout the event, with visibility on hole signs, print materials, and social media. Participants received golf bags and towels featuring sponsor logos, along with custom t-shirts designed and printed in-house by Bend Tech Production, the student-led business at BTA.

Students in Anthony Carmack’s Workforce class spent the trimester visiting local industry partners each Wednesday, gaining firsthand exposure to careers in the trades across the region. Along the way, they built essential career‑readiness skills, including completing resumes and participating in mock interviews.

The class wrapped up with a celebration where students shared their learning and future career paths with school staff, families, and community members — a meaningful finish to a hands‑on, future‑focused experience.

May 2nd-10th was Oregon STEM Week sponsored by IEEE. Educators from across the region joined in a statewide celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities. Regionally, we had participation from Boys & Girls Club of Bend, Buff Elementary, North Lake School, St Thomas Academy and Tom McCall Elementary. Natalie Richards from Tom McCall won a $50 gift card from Amazon.

If you would like to partner with the CTE-STEM team, please complete the form below. We are looking for partners in a variety of roles; guest speakers, tours for students, job shadows, mock interviews and much more. If you have questions about how you can partner with us, please reach out to Lisa Meredith.