Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Nine Career Technical Education Programs Of Study Honored For Their Excellence

  • 04/13/15

WASHINGTON, DC  — On April 9, nine programs of study were recognized as "Excellence in Action" award winners, representing the best Career Technical Education (CTE) has to offer. These programs of study were selected based on their uniquely inventive and effective approaches to stimulating student learning, offering extensive work-based learning experiences, maintaining strong partnerships with industry and community organizations, and preparing students for postsecondary and career success.

The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) is pleased to recognize the following award winners:

  • Agriculture, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, IL (Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Cluster)
  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Upper Valley Career Center, OH (Architecture & Construction Career Cluster)
  • Academy for Business and Finance, Bergen County Technical Schools – Bergen County Academies, NJ (Business Management & Administration Career Cluster)
  • Emergency Medical Services, Walters State Community College, TN (Health Science Career Cluster)
  • Culinary Arts Academy, Lorain County Joint Vocational School, OH (Hospitality & Tourism Career Cluster)
  • Early Childhood Education, Henderson County High School, KY (Human Services Career Cluster)
  • Welding Technology Program, Butte-Glenn Community College, CA (Manufacturing Career Cluster)
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography, Marine Academy of Science and Technology, NJ (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Career Cluster)
  • Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Academy, Omaha Bryan High School, NE (Transportation, Distribution & Logistics Career Cluster)

"These Excellence in Action award winners exemplify everything that high-quality CTE programs can and should be," says Kimberly Green, executive director of NASDCTEc. "These programs have students graduating at above-average rates, are aligned with employer and industry needs and certification standards and build meaningful partnerships, all to prepare students to succeed in their careers."

Two-page profiles of each winner, detailing their unique strengths and opportunities are available at the NASDCTEc website.

About NASDCTEc
The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) was established in 1920 to represent the state and territory heads of secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across the nation. NASDCTEc, through leadership, advocacy and partnerships, aims to support an innovative CTE system that prepares individuals to succeed in education and their careers, and poises the United States to flourish in a global, dynamic economy.

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.