RCOE-CTE UPDATE

Centennial High School’s advanced video production team just kept their message on track—and it paid off. Their 30–60-- second public service announcement (PSA) won first place in the regional SAFE Around Trains Challenge, a competition sponsored by Streets Are for Everyone (SAFE) and Metrolink to raise awareness about train safety.

Under the direction of Tyrone Huff, RCOE instructor, the project was created by:

Aiden Johnson, Cali Reynolds, Mikayla Rodriguez, Brooklyn Newton.

The judges evaluated entries for a clear safety message, creativity, and high production value—areas where the Centennial team excelled. Beyond the trophy, this win underscores how our video production program equips students with real-world, career-ready skills: script development, visual storytelling, professional editing, and deadline-driven teamwork. It’s the kind of authentic learning that translates directly to careers in media, communications, and public safety outreach!

This PSA isn’t just award-worthy, it’s useful. The students produced a compelling, concise piece of media that will help promote train safety across our community, demonstrating how classroom learning can serve a broader public good. We’re proud of our students’ hard work and thrilled to celebrate their achievement across the district.

Congratulations to Aiden, Cali, Mikayla, and Brooklyn—and to Mr. Huff—for a first-place finish that showcases both creative excellence and a commitment to community safety.

Cal Fire is expanding its recruitment efforts and offering a wide range of career opportunities—not just for Firefighters. Positions are available in areas such as 911 communications, food services (cooks and nutrition), forestry, and many other fields you may not expect.

To attract new talent, Cal Fire has launched a dedicated recruitment website JoinCalFire.com

and is even using wrapped vehicles to advertise opportunities across the state.

Hiring Updates Coming January 2026

Beginning January 2026, Cal Fire will be updating many of its hiring specifications. These changes are designed to open more entry-level positions, helping fill the more than 2,000 vacancies currently available statewide.

Opportunities for Our Students

Students in our PSP/FA-CPR and EMT programs may qualify for several of these positions, especially:

• Firefighter I

• 911 Dispatcher

This is an excellent opportunity for students to explore rewarding careers while making a difference in their communities.

Did You Know?

Cal Fire is also one of the approved EMT internship sites here in Riverside County—making it even easier for our students to gain valuable experience.

Paloma Valley High School is proud to announce the launch of its new Culinary Arts Program, housed in a state-of-the-art industrial facility designed to inspire and support student learning.

As part of the program, students will soon begin Riverside County Food Handler Card training and certification, providing them with a strong foundation in food safety and workplace readiness. These skills will prepare students not only for success in the classroom but also for opportunities in the culinary industry.

The new facility includes a fully equipped commercial kitchen, an adjacent staff lounge and café, and a direct connection to the multipurpose room. Together, these spaces create a vibrant hub for hands-on learning, collaboration, and community engagement.

Looking ahead, the Culinary Arts Program aims to expand work-based learning opportunities through partnerships with local businesses, industry professionals, and community colleges. By building these connections, Paloma Valley High School is ensuring students are well prepared for success in both college and career pathways.

Located in the growing city of Menifee, the program represents an exciting step forward in providing students with innovative, real-world learning experiences.

Just off the 60 Freeway in Indio, tucked along Oasis Street, the School of Career Education (SCE) is busy preparing the next generation of health care professionals. Inside the Medical Assisting program, Instructor Rebecca Bravo leads her students with a unique balance of rigor, support, and encouragement.

In their medical office lab, students rotate between roles and practice essential skills—taking vitals, measuring heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and glucose readings—each exercise bringing them closer to mastery. But what stands out most is not the demanding pace of the Health and Medical Technology sector but the energy of the classroom itself. Conversations are lively, laughter echoes, and collaboration is at the heart of every activity.

Rebecca’s steady guidance ensures that students gain the confidence and competence they’ll need as they move toward exams and upcoming internships. With each lesson, she fosters not just technical expertise but also the compassion and professionalism that will define them as future caregivers.

Today, they are students at SCE Indio. Tomorrow, they will be the hands that take vitals, the voices that comfort, and the professionals who support our well-being in clinics, hospitals, and medical offices across the community.

The School of Career Education is proud to cultivate a learning environment where passion meets purpose and where the future of healthcare is built—one student at a time.

RCOE’s Career Technical Education (CTE) unit, through IEConnect, will highlight the Inland Empire’s talent pipeline at the Advancing California Apprenticeship Summit, October 7–9, in Riverside. The statewide event brings together apprenticeship practitioners, educators, industry partners, and funders to explore innovative models and share successful practices across California.

As part of the program, IEConnect—a regional pre-apprenticeship sponsor led by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) in partnership with RCOE—will host a featured tour for attendees. The visit will showcase a local high school offering registered pre-apprenticeship programs in three high-demand CTE fields: Automotive, Culinary, and Mechatronics. Participants will observe students demonstrating core skills, meet educators and employer partners behind the pathways, and learn how aligned coursework and work-based learning experiences translate into industry-recognized skills and a direct pathway into Registered Apprenticeship. (IEConnect is recognized by California’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards and offers tools, onboarding, and data systems to help districts deliver high-quality, competency-based pre-apprenticeship experiences.)

A key moment at the summit will be a Signing Day celebrating students transitioning from pre-apprenticeship into full Apprenticeship—an inspiring milestone that highlights how pre-apprenticeship prepares learners for success in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP). Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez will serve as a featured speaker, acknowledging students, families, educators, and partners who make these opportunities possible. (Pre-apprenticeship programs are designed to prepare participants for RAP entry and success by developing foundational skills and linking learning to real work.)

Forest DeRenzo, Ed.D.
Executive Director
Career Technical Education
Division of Student Programs and Services

Riverside County Office of Education