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February is National CTE Month

Career and technical education classes are meant to prepare students for careers or college after they graduate. But seniors Jazmin Amaro and Alexander Martinez are already prepared. The two outstanding students won’t graduate for a few more months, but their CTE classes have them ready now.

Amaro and Martinez are just two of thousands of ����Vlog students who are using the district’s CTE classes – both at their home high schools and at the ����Vlog Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center – to propel themselves to their career dreams. And they are perfect examples to highlight during February’s .

Five-star senior

Jazmin Amaro, a senior at Sam Houston High School, hasn’t completed the culinary program at the CTC just yet, but she’s already working in the field. She started an internship this year at , the high-end Italian restaurant at Loews Arlington Hotel, but within two-weeks they had her working full-time producing top-level dishes on the line.

She has really appreciated the experience of working in a five-star restaurant.

“I enjoy working, and now that I have experience in high-end restaurants, I plan to work my way up to sous chef in the future,” Amaro said.

She’s already well on her way thanks to the CTC’s culinary program. Amaro has taken multiple culinary arts classes and a practicum in culinary arts and hospitality. Plus, she has earned her Hospitality Management Certificate and Food Handler and Manager Certification.

And it has prepared her to do more than just cook.

“This program has helped me grow into a more positive and mature person by helping me find the courage to go outside my box,” Amaro said. “In my advanced class, we focus on more than just how to cook, but also learning to run a restaurant in the front and back of the house.”

Amaro’s experience at the CTC has her ready for life after graduation.

“What I love best about the CTC is that I always leave with something new, from learning cooking methods to different types of cuisine,” she said. “They also allow me to be hands-on with everything I do. From making menus to plate setting, everything I do in class is something I love and can take with me back to work or even in my own home kitchen.”

Alyce Monroe, the CTC’s practicum teacher for culinary arts, hospitality and human services, knows Amaro will be successful when she finishes high school.

“She is timely, driven, willing to learn and never idle,” Monroe said. “We can always count on Jazmin to work hard in our kitchen, and she is doing the same for Loews Hotel. We look forward to seeing Jazmin soar in the hospitality industry after her years at the CTC and in AISD.”

Building a dream

Alexander Martinez, a senior at Arlington High School, knows exactly what he wants to do in his career after graduation.

“After high school, I plan on starting my own electrical contractor company,” Martinez said. “My goal is to be at the top of electrical contractors in the DFW. Part of my company’s core values that I will form will be a good work ethic and operational excellence. This will ensure my company can provide a very sufficient quality of service to every client we work with.”

Martinez, who is already working on his journeyman’s license, already has that “good work ethic,” and it shows at school.

“Alex is one of the hardest workers I have ever had the honor of teaching,” said Christopher Grimaldo, the construction teacher at Arlington High. “His work ethic is second to none along with his ability to adapt to any situation.”

Grimaldo’s construction classes and construction club are all designed to prepare students like Martinez for the industry.

“It’s fun,” Martinez said. “It’s really hands-on.”

Hands-on is key.

“In the construction class, the best way to learn is through repetition, repetition, repetition,” Grimaldo said. “I teach them the basics of tools and safety, but the students also learn leadership skills and how to be flexible and problem solve.”

Martinez is developing those leadership skills as one of the board members for the construction management team, which is the highest position in Arlington High’s construction club. He organizes events and communicates with other businesses to sponsor the events. 

“I have worked on skills like communication, collaboration and critical thinking,” Martinez said. “These skills will help me in the future to communicate with others properly and to solve and manage problems that can come up anytime.” 

Graduation isn’t here yet, but Amaro and Martinez are already prepared.

If you’d like to learn more about ����Vlog’s CTE programs, please click here.