Clark Welcomes Hundreds to 2025 CTE Showcase

two people hold ball with propeller
Students Caleb Gross, Ridgefield High School, and Daeannamae Becky, Columbia River High School, engineered a helicopter device that they tested by dropping from the three-story drop tower.

Clark College hosted more than 350 high school students from across five counties for its annual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs Showcase on April 15.

Students from grades 9 through 12 explored Clark’s degrees and programs and learned about a wide range of CTE programs offered at Clark, gaining insight into potential career pathways and educational opportunities.

Sponsored by Guided Pathways, this year’s event included attendance from 25 high schools across seven Clark County school districts. Participating schools outside of Clark County drove all the way from Stevenson (Skamania County); Glenwood, Klickitat, and Lyle (Klickitat County); Kalama (Cowlitz County); and Mossyrock High School (Lewis County).

people standing outside a walk-in cooler
Chef Aaron Guerra leads a group through the cuisine kitchens.

Some of the student engagement included:

  • Professor-Chef Aaron Guerra led a group of high school students through the cuisine kitchens at McClaskey Culinary Institute. He said, “I’m an example of living your dream. I followed my heart, followed my passion, worked hard, and built a great career.” He added, “It takes hard work to be successful in life—and in the kitchen.”
  • Across campus in the Diesel Technology lab classroom, Professor Jeff Rush told students: “Learning electrical is a long path. But it can open doors to a great career in diesel technology.”
  • In the STEM Building, engineering professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu led students in an engineering challenge to design and build a helicopter-like device that can carry cargo. Caleb Gross from Ridgefield High School and Daeannamae Beckey from Columbia River High School teamed up and used ChatGPT to find detailed plans for building their copter.

two people discussing object
Professor Izad Khormaee helps a student engineer a project.

Gaby Posteuca, a Clark admissions recruiter who helped coordinate the event, said, “What a turnout we had for our CTE showcase this year! It was gratifying to see hundreds of students who were engaged in the workshop activities and asking questions. I am confident that this event sparked the high school students to consider their future career and how Clark College can help them attain their career goals.”

Exploring Career Pathways

Each high school student chose two workshops to attend from a list of offerings, including observing CTE classes in action. These included allied health programs Health Information Management, Medical Assisting, Nursing, Pharmacy Tech, and Surgical Technology; Automotive Technology, Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management, Diesel Technology, Welding Technology, Mechatronics, Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, Cuisine Management, Professional Baking and Pastry Arts and Early Childhood Education and more.

people at information table
Román Lara tells high school students about Clark’s MESA program.

Workshops in Gaiser Hall included financial aid and scholarships, admissions, career exploration, Running Start, and more.

All over campus, high school students met Clark faculty, learned about specific programs, experienced demonstrations, and participated in hands-on activities.

Finally, the students gathered in Gaiser Student Center for boxed lunches and a Resource Fair, where they made connections and asked questions of Clark staff from Admissions, CTE Dual Credit, Financial Aid, Tutoring Services, MESA, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and more. Gaiser Hall was buzzing with staff assisting students to plan for their future careers.

Participating Clark County High Schools

  • Battle Ground: Battle Ground High School, Prairie High School
  • Camas: Camas High School, Discovery High School, Hayes Freedom High School
  • Evergreen: Evergreen High School, Henrietta Lacks High School, Heritage High School, Legacy High School, Legacy-Open Doors, Mountain View High School
  • Hockinson: Hockinson High School
  • Ridgefield: Ridgefield High School
  • Vancouver: Columbia River High School, Fort Vancouver High School, Hudson’s Bay High School, Skyview High School, Vancouver Flex Academy
  • Washougal: Washougal High School

Participating Schools Beyond Clark County

  • Cowlitz County: Kalama High School
  • Klickitat County: Glenwood High School, Klickitat High School, Lyle High School
  • Lewis County: Mossy Rock High School
  • Skamania County: Stevenson High School

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish