The three career and technical education programs at Haxtun High School were recently awarded grant funds in the amount of $81,057. CTE is the practice of teaching specific career skills to high school students through programs such as FFA, Future Business Leaders of America and Family Career and Community Leaders of America.

The three local CTE program advisors Jeff Plumb, Janet Brophy and Holly Kelley worked collaboratively to submit an innovative grant from Perkins V. This grant is a highly competitive grant with a total of 21 applications, 21 of which were selected awarding over $1.8 million. Haxtun received just over $80,000 of that.

With grant funds, the local CTE programs plan to purchase a CNC plasma cutting table, uni-hydro ironworker, poster printer and embroidery machine. Students in the three organizations will manufacture items with use of the machines while establishing a business in which to sell their product. Plans are to establish a store front for the business on the west side of the current C-Mart building that once housed Outback Fitness along Colorado Avenue.

Each CTE class will provide a student manager for the store. Those three students will work in collaboration with instructors, Phillips County Economic Development and the Haxtun Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to students working in the store, community members are welcome to volunteer time to offer guidance for students running a business. Community partners will also offer expertise to help students learn new trades such as fabrication and design.

Haxtun FBLA advisor Brophy said this opportunity will provide students a work-based learning tool as part of CTE and graduation requirements at Haxtun High School as well as strengthen ties between school and stakeholders. This opportunity also offers workforce readiness skills to students and hopefully will provide entrepreneurial skills for students to later open their own business.

For more information on the local CTE business contact Haxtun High School at (970) 774-6111.