December 2021 CTAE Compass Update

MCIS Training Opportunity

December Webinars from the Career Lab’s information on how to use  the MCIS.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

MCIS Occupations

Introduction and overview of the occupational research features of the MCIS. Topics covered will include: • Researching occupational requirements • Researching wage data, career outlook over time • Looking at real time occupation postings • Determining education, training, or certification paths for occupations

Session 1: 10:00-11:00 am Registration Link:   https://mt-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QtGnjCy5TWSXdXhYYZiC2Q

Session 2:  3:30-4:30 pm Registration Link:  https://mt-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-i3f2dXOTuWOQ5nyL_c-uw

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

MCIS Education and Training

Introduction and overview of the education and training research and planning features of the MCIS. Topics covered include: • Determining how to match colleges, courses, degrees, and occupations • Comparing college costs, offerings, and data • Researching and applying for financial aid • Using the College Course Planner • Montana Apprenticeship overview

Session 1: 10:00-11:00 am Registration Link:   https://mt-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WWxgYZEKQIyJES1zHcyMFw

Session 2:  3:30-4:30 pm Registration Link:  https://mt-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3J21Nv3zQjaeJEHquzhaGw

High School Students Jumpstart Career in the Trades

Between CMR and Great Falls High, forty students are enrolled in this year’s High School House Program. Up from 26 last year, NeighborWorks and Great Falls Public Schools are excited about the rise in participation and interest that local youth are expressing towards the trades industries. This week, students, business partners, and community leaders gathered as these high school students signed on for the Pre-Apprenticeship Program through the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. By signing on, the hours these students spend building the 44th High School House will be counted towards the Apprenticeship Program if they choose to continue their education in the trades industry upon graduation. Each student will earn over 300 hours of registered apprenticeship time, jumpstarting their futures with a step up in their careers.

NeighborWorks is proud to partner with GFPS, the City of Great Falls, and so many community partners who help make this program possible year after year. The High School House Program not only provides a quality, affordable home in Great Falls, it also provides a unique learning environment for high school students that equips them for future career path decisions and useful training they can put into practice personally and professionally.​   How the High School House Program works: The students provide the labor while the city contributes community development block grant funding. NWGF supplies the lot, arranges subcontractors, and finances the construction. NeighborWorks also work with potential homebuyers to ensure they are mortgage-ready with homebuyer education, individual homeownership planning, and down payment assistance through a matched savings program. The buyers must be first-time homeowners, and many have become first-generation homeowners.

Business Education Updates (5)

1. NASA and Tynker Team up for an
Amazing Hour of Code

For the third year running, Tynker has collaborated with NASA to bring you terrific NASA-themed coding activities, live coding events, and professional development opportunities. As always, these are all FREE.       This year, Tynker has Enhanced their existing Artemis Mission Hour of Code projects Added new data science and art activities for high school in Python and P5.js Launched an Hour of Code activity in Spanish for ELL students Organized a project walkthrough webinar with a NASA STEM Education Specialist Scheduled a host of HoC prep webinars for teachers Planned a week-long celebration during CS Education week with live coding sessions with NASA experts. To get details on all of these (and more), please read the Tynker Hour of Code blog. In addition, Tynker also has a series of live coding events planned where teachers and students can hear from NASA experts on a variety of topics. These activities and events are available for all grade bands, from Kindergarten to High School.

2. Get Ready for Computer Science Education Week with Google

To pursue their dreams, students need to be able to solve problems, be creative, and think critically – all skills a student can learn through computer science (CS). This kind of knowledge can shape future artists, small business owners, farmers, and world leaders. But too few are being exposed to CS, especially students from underrepresented groups and communities. When interest in computer science is sparked, it can take students anywhere. And often, the most memorable school experiences can happen outside lesson plans—such as going on an eye-opening field trip or listening to an inspirational guest speaker. That is where you come in. During CSEdWeek, US-based Title 1 educators can sign up for a virtual visit with a Google volunteer to design their own Ignite Experience, including a career conversation, a CS learning experience, and an optional student activity. Sign up here. Teachers and students can also join a livestream with a Googler who uses CS in their (fun) day job. Their inspirational stories showcase a variety of CS-related career journeys and skill applications. Sign-up to join a livestream event here. If you cannot join a livestream, you can still teach an Hour of Code to introduce your students to the exciting world of computer science. All activities from Google’s programs—including CS First, Applied Digital Skills and Code Next can be found at g.co/codewithgoogle/csedweek.

3. New CS Connections Curriculum and Accompanying
Hour of Code Activities from Code.org

To help students make meaningful connections between CS and other disciplines—and to help teachers from a variety of backgrounds more easily begin teaching the subject—Code.org is introducing a new set of cross-curricular lessons called Computer Science (CS) Connections and two new Hour of Code activities to accompany them. This curriculum makes the connections between learning computer science and other subjects like language arts, math, and science—with more to come. Through CS Connections, K-12 classrooms can explore their usual subjects in exciting new ways. CS Connections has options for teachers who would like to incorporate computer science into their lesson plans for other subjects, as well as CS educators who want to reinforce what students are learning in other subjects. The goal is to provide students with a deeper and broader understanding of a particular subject area, a better sense of how computers can be used as a tool to solve human problems, and motivation to learn more about the intersection of CS and other disciplines. CS Connections is available now, with more lessons coming next year. Interested teachers from any discipline can view cross-curricular lesson plans and try out activities here. Code.org hopes these lessons expand ideas about what computer science is and what is possible with it. CS is everywhere, and they look forward to helping students and teachers make new and exciting connections to all kinds of subjects through this new curriculum. This year’s new Hour of Code activities from Code.org tie in directly to CS Connections: The Poem Art Hour of Code activity is also the first lesson in CS Connections’ Coding with Poetry module, which allows students to see two subjects—computer science and poetry—in a new way. In Poem Art, students can explore a key element of poetry—mood—by using code to add visuals and movement to classic poems. In Computer Science 101, the first program many students create outputs an iconic line of text: "Hello World" Hello World equips students with the basic coding skills and confidence to create apps. Hello World Hour of Code activities are recommended as a fun introduction before embarking on the open-ended projects in CS Connections, which require some understanding of computer science basics.

4. Encourage Critical Thinking and Confidence with
STEM in the K-12 Classroom

Computer Science (CS) Education Week is coming up December 6-10 and will focus on inspiring students, advocating for equity in CS education, and celebrating teacher and student contributions.

If you are looking for a fun way to add STEM in your classroom and nurture problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity in your students, host an Hour of Code with Minecraft's TimeCraft and MakeCode Arcade’s Save the Forest.

Also join Microsoft for a professional development session to learn how you can lead Hour of Code lessons or sign up to have a Microsoft Education Expert lead your students through one.

Learn more and register for an Hour of Code lesson here

5. Planning for CSEdWeek and a New ASL Tutorial from Scratch

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is a global event occurring from December 6-12 to celebrate computer science around the world. Sign up to celebrate CSEdWeek with Beyond the Banana: Make Music with Makey Makey + Scratch, a free webinar where Scratchers can code real world items into entertaining musical projects, and visit the Scratch Activities for Hour of Code, a page for Scratch activities, tutorials, and studios, to find teaching resources for CSEdWeek.

Just in time for CSEdWeek, Scratch is excited to announce that a new tutorial in American Sign Language (ASL) is now available in the Scratch Editor. Scratch is grateful to Deaf Kids Code for leading this initiative and helping to create this video so Scratch can be more accessible for Deaf and hard of hearing Scratchers. See how Scratch is collaborating with Deaf Kids Code to create more equitable learning resources.

BPA Cares

BPA cares is a program organized through Business Professionals of America to help chapters become more active and involved with their community and surrounding supporters. It is designed for any and all chapters and offers something for everyone. To participate in this program members and students need to engage in a worthwhile project that in turn may give them National recognition and influence public relations in their home and community. In the BPA cares program there are 3 branches; Service learning program, special recognition program, and professional awards program. The service learning program’s purpose is to encourage individuals and chapters to be involved in their community. While being involved with your community with different service learning techniques you can earn a variety of awards. You can earn awards in Community service, Environmental Action/Awareness, Safety Awareness, Service Learning, Special Olympics, and Social Media. 

The purpose of the special recognition program is to encourage individuals and chapters to support and promote their organizations. By supporting your communities organizations you can earn awards in BPA Marketing and Public Relations, BPA Merit Scholar Award, Chapter Activities Award of Excellence and Member Recruiter Award. 

The Professional Awards Program was designed for individuals to acknowledge the dedication and service of our supporters. By giving recognition to your supporters through various ways you can help your amazing role models earn awards such as the Advisor of the Year Award, Emerging Advisor Award, Hall of Fame Award, Outstanding Service Award, and the Professional Cup award. 

BPA Cares acts as an outlet to chapters all around Montana. It is an excellent way to get members involved in new and exciting projects all while obtaining national recognition for their chapter. Keep in mind that all BPA Cares programs will be due on March 1, 2022 for Professional Awards, and April 1, 2022 for all others. Overall BPA Cares is a great outlet for students and chapters that can help them develop leadership skills, and relationships with their community. To learn more about BPA Cares or to access the BPA Cares Program Handbook please go to www.bpa.org for more information.

Montana Educator Selected for 2021 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence 

Mr. Casey Lunceford Brings Home
Investment for Ronan Ag Education 

RONAN, MONTANA | November 1, 2021 –  Montana’s own, Casey Lunceford, is one of 18 teachers across the nation to be selected as a recipient of a 2021 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence.  

Lunceford, Ronan High School agricultural teacher, beat out over 700 applications from 49 states to earn $50,000 dollars to be invested in continued growth within his program. He is Montana’s first recipient of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence.  

 Lunceford has taught agricultural mechanics in Ronan for three years, where he and his students have recently completed a remodel of the swine area at the Lake County Fairgrounds as part of a class project. Lunceford is no stranger to ag mechanics as he brings 10 years of experience in home company and sawmill entrepreneurship. Serving as an officer in the Montana Association of Agricultural Educators, and the Vice President of the Montana Association of Career and Technology Educators, Lunceford continues to invest and invent creative projects that spearhead change not only in his chapter’s communities but also in student’s lives.  

 Eric Smidt, the founder of national tool retailer Harbor Freight Tools, created the program to recognize outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools and the teachers who inspire students to learn skills to prepare for life after graduation.  

 “Casey Lunceford and the Ronan Agricultural Education Program are shining examples of what Montana Agricultural Education and Montana FFA are doing for students,” Gwynn Simeniuk, Montana FFA Foundation Executive Director, commented. “While Mr. Lunceford is the first Montana Educator to be awarded this incredible award, we believe that the path of excellence that he has paved will be followed by our many MT ag educators who are inspiring and preparing students for career success.” 

 The Montana FFA Foundation supports 99 FFA chapters across the state of Montana, representing over 5,000 members. The Montana FFA Foundation’s mission is to cultivate partnerships, promote awareness and secure resources to enhance Agricultural Education and the Montana FFA Association. 

Great Falls Students Sign up for
Carpentry Pre-apprentice Program

GREAT FALLS — November 15-21 is National Apprenticeship Week, and dozens of high school students in Great Falls got one step closer Wednesday to a future job in the construction industry.

Forty students signed up for the carpentry pre-apprentice program. According to a news release from the school district:

The signing ceremony took place inside the "high school house" that students are helping build.

"I've worked on this house. It's a good job. It's really fun. It's great now that I have an apprenticeship. I didn't even plan on getting that this year, I just planned on building a house,” said junior AJ Mese...

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Montana FFA Participates in National FFA Convention

Montana FFA Members recently returned from participation at the National FFA Convention and Expo held in Indianapolis, IN.  Approximately six hundred and fifty Montana students attended the convention where they engaged in competitions, leadership workshops, tours and educational seminars.  This annual event attracted just over 60,000 members from across the nation. 

Individual members that rose to the top in their respective competitions were led by Miles City’s Nolan Muggli who placed 2nd in the National Mechanics competition, Missoula’s Shaun Billingsley who placed 5th in the National Meats Evaluation competition and Grass Range’s Morgan Corean who placed 9th in the National Vet Science event.  Lexy Dietz from Shepherd competed as one of four national finalists in the Goat Production Proficiency Award area. 

Some of Montana’s FFA members in front of Lucas Oil Stadium during the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN.

Congratulations to the Miles City Mechanics team for placing 4th in the National FFA Mechanics Competition, to the Big Timber Chapter for placing 5th in the National FFA Farm Business Management contest and the Grass Range Chapter for placing 7th in the National Vet Science event.  Also, Wyatt Iverson and Rudy Kummer from Bainville placed 4th in Power Systems in the National Agri-Science Fair. These were the only teams from Montana placing in the top ten nationally. 

The following are the results of how the other Montana chapters placed during this year’s national convention:  Floriculture – Joliet – Silver, Marketing plan – Cascade – Bronze, Conduct of meetings – Shepherd – Silver, Parliamentary Procedure – Kalispell – Gold, Environmental and Natural Resource Management – Deer Lodge – Bronze,  Creed – Rylee Glimm (Kalispell) – Silver, Extemporaneous Speaking – Miles Graveley (Deer Lodge) – Silver, Employment Skills – Lainey Kitzman (Billings) – Bronze, Prepared Speaking – Matthew Slivka (Winifred) – Bronze, Forestry – Mission Valley – Silver, Agronomy – Shields Valley - Silver, Ag Issues – Corvallis – Silver, Farm Business Management – Big Timber – Gold, Food Science – Belgrade – Silver, Ag Sales – Kalispell – Silver, Vet Science – Grass Range - Gold, Meats – Missoula – Gold, Ag Communication – Cascade – Bronze, Horse – Missoula – Silver, Ag Mechanics – Miles City – Gold, and Livestock – Miles City - Gold.    

*Note – Gold, Silver and Bronze ratings represent roughly the top, the middle, and the lower third of teams participating.

In addition to the contest placings, 17 members received the American FFA Degree. They are as follows: Harleigh Johnson – Beaverhead, Alyssa Thormahlen – Belfry, Nicole Green – Big Horn, Callie Williams – Broadus, Taylor Noyes – Broadwater, Hannah LaBree – and Heather LaBree from Carter County, Alyssa Nicole Gruszie – Chinook, Jacob Crowder and Tyler Wilbanks from Culbertson, Dacey Robertson – Fromberg, Luke Heupel, and Bethany Lyford from Kalispell and Max Andres – Missoula.

This degree is the highest degree that can be bestowed upon a member and represents at least five years of dedicated participation in the FFA organization.  Additionally, chapters across Montana were recognized for their activities held throughout the year.  Bainville, Shields Valley and Columbus earned a 1 star award, Fromberg, Joliet, Kalispell and Park City earned a 2 star award and Beaverhead, Shepherd and Simms were identified as three star winners which is the highest ranking a chapter can receive. 

Finally, Emily Cole from Roundup participated in the National Talent Program and Haylee Adams from Laurel participated in the National FFA Band.  Also, Montana Agriculture Education was awarded a 100% membership award and the Montana FFA Association received an award for membership growth.  

State officers will begin conducting chapter visits across the state beginning in December.

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