Northwest Education Services | View as Webpage

News for students, families and friends | November 2024

Empowering Students for Success

With 1,235 students attending one of our 22 state-approved career and technical education (CTE) programs, the 2024-25 school year is off to a promising start with our center’s largest enrollment ever. Our building is certainly lively! From aspiring chefs honing their knife skills and Health Sciences students earning their CPR certifications, to future engineers applying the laws of physics to projects and automotive technicians putting their skills on display for local businesses, Career Tech students are fully engaged in the work that is preparing them for success in the workforce. Our talented staff is working diligently to equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive after high school. I'm excited to see what they'll accomplish this year!

Each fall we host our program advisory meetings, bringing together local business and community partners, students, parents and our instructional staff to discuss the outlook and needs of each of our 22 CTE programs. These meetings are essential for aligning our programs with the evolving needs of our region's industries. We thank each of our advisory board members who provide invaluable insights and expertise that lend to the success of our students.

If you are interested in learning more about our programs, advisory boards, work-based learning opportunities, scholarship programs or other ways you can get involved here at Career Tech, please reach out to us at 231.922.6273.

Respectfully,

Pat Lamb

Assistant Superintendent of Career & Technical Education

Northwest Education Services

Building Bridges

The North Ed Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will support ALL students affiliated with a program or service provided by North Ed (Career Tech or Special Education). More than 40% of the students served by North Ed live in poverty. To help them reach their dreams, the North Ed Foundation supports these students through three primary methods:

• Student Emergency Resource Fund (SERF) to support emergency needs while in school, including — but not limited to — food, clothing and basic medical care.
• Tools of the Trade Fund assists students going directly into the world of work.
• Scholarship Fund supports graduates attending postsecondary education.

Contributions to the Foundation will be accepted for any of these funds or as unrestricted donations to be used in the area of greatest need. Learn more at www.NorthwestEd.org/Foundation/

2024 Scholarship Golf Outing

It’s a wrap! The 29th Annual Scholarship Golf Outing is in the books, setting the stage for our very special 30th annual event to take place Sept. 21, 2025 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Our planning for the 30th annual Scholarship Golf Outing has already begun, and the need for student assistance is greater than ever. The Scholarship Golf Outing has been the single largest fundraiser for our scholarship fund. The community and business representation—and generous giving—enables our graduating seniors to receive scholarships and funds for their post-secondary pathways. Please bookmark Sept. 21, 2025, on your calendar and consider donating to this meaningful cause. Thank you to everyone who made an impact in 2024, and we hope to see you in 2025.

Eighth Grade Visits

North Ed Career Tech is excited to partner with local schools to provide a career studies exposure experience. On Nov. 20 and 21, we will be hosting 2,000+ eighth grade students from the five-county area (Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau) for our annual Career Tech visits. Students will tour the facility on Parsons Road and see all 22 career programs. A handful of middle schoolers attend Cool Tech Camp every summer, but this opportunity gives all eighth grade students an introduction to the full range of our programs and a chance to briefly experience the learning environment in every course. 

Career Tech Programs for Every Student

With 20+ programs, Career Tech offers something for just about any student. Whether they're passionate about engineering or inspired by writing and art, there's plenty of exciting learning opportunities here.

Learn more below:

Making Connections at Career Tech

This year marks the beginning of a new group at Career Tech called Voices Club. This club is a student-led, peer relationship building group with the goal of improving student relationships at school. Over 800 students from Career Tech completed a short survey from Harvard University's Making Caring Common Initiative to identify how many positive and trusting relationships they have with other students. Making Caring Common provided a generalized survey report and a library of community-building resources for the club to consider while developing an action plan to improve peer connectedness at Career Tech. Positive relationships with peers and a sense of school belonging can protect students’ mental health, positively affect their academic achievement, and increase their ability to care for others.

Student Leadership

National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) and Student Council each offer our students invaluable leadership opportunities that enrich our learning community at Career Tech. We are proud to announce the following officer selections for both NTHS and Student Council.

New NTHS Members Inducted

Congratulations to all Career Tech students admitted into National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) this fall. We salute their hard work and commitment!

ENGAGED IN LEARNING - Photos clockwise: Agriscience students participate in groundwater monitoring in the North Branch of the Manistee River; Electrical Occupations students learn from Traverse City Light & Power line workers during Energy Week; Health Sciences students begin training to become certified in CPR; and Writers Studio students gather around bestselling author and National Writers Series guest speaker Shelby VanPelt.

Check the Student Job Board

Did you know there are employment opportunities posted on the Career Tech website? Check it regularly for job postings in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. Current students and recent graduates are encouraged to apply. 

Northwest Education Services

Career Tech

880 Parsons Road, Traverse City, MI 49686

Tel. 231.922.6273 |  NorthwestEd.org