January/February 2024

Page 14

g n i l l fi l u F e r u t u F the by Beth Griesmer

eleste Garcia knows her future is big in her small town. After four years in the Ignite Technical Institute at Falfurrias High School, she will graduate in June with an associate degree from Del Mar College in welding as well as two certifications in welding and an electrical apprenticeship certificate. Garcia was introduced to welding in eighth grade through a two-week special program offered by Brooks County ISD that included hands-on experience and a welding competition.

Texas public schools prepare a skilled workforce

“This is something that is interesting,” she thought at the time. “I liked it. I liked that we were doing better than the boys in the competition.” She came in second and hasn’t looked back. Falfurrias and other public schools are preparing future members of the Texas workforce in compelling and innovative ways, from offering them free college credits while attending high school to industry certifications to real-world experiences. Career and technical education programs across the state are striving to meet regional workforce needs through college and industry partnerships. Garcia is a student in the Rural Schools Innovation Zone, a collaboration among five South Texas school districts that combines resources and students to provide comprehensive CTE programs with college credits and industry certifications that meet the workforce needs in the area. Because she had the flexibility to take required coursework early, Garcia has been able to focus on her craft in her senior year. She is in the welding building at Ignite Technical Institute from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day.

 Celeste Garcia, a Falfurrias High

School senior, will graduate in June with an associate degree in welding. (Photo courtesy of Rural Schools Innovation Zone) 14

| January/February 2024 | issuu.com/tasb-org

Falfurrias “You come in, you get dressed, and we learn something new every day,” she said. “It is so exciting to come and see what we are going to do today.” Following this unconventional path has given Garcia the fortitude to face some difficult losses in her family. “If I didn’t have welding, I don’t think I would be anywhere,” she said when describing the loss of her father and grandmother and the support she received from her instructors.

SUPPORT FROM THE TOP

Michael Gonzalez, executive director of RSIZ, gives credit to the support of the superintendents and school boards who have joined together to create more opportunities for their students in a swath of South Texas about 90 minutes west of Corpus Christi. “Leadership takes a vested interest in helping students reach their goals and making their dreams come true,” he said. The five members in the zone — Agua Dulce, Benavides, Brooks County, Freer, and Premont ISDs — offer students who join RSIZ the choice of five academies that focus on the fields of education, healthcare, JROTC, skilled technical trades, and STEM. The academies partner with different colleges in the area, including Coastal


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