Hereford High's School to Career Transition department hosted the bi-annual Senior Interview Day.  During this event, each senior is aligned with a professional from his or her area of career interest with whom to interview.  After the mock interview, the professional provides feedback to the student on his or her resume, cover letter, and interview performance.  Students find this experience to be beneficial as the advice they receive helps them to prepare for future interviews for college and for employment.  The school appreciates the many professionals who participate as interviewers each semester.

In the photo, student David Hatton thanks interviewer Dave Ferrara, Director of Construction for MDTA

Twenty-seven Overlea High School juniors and seniors enrolled in the Graphic Communications & Printing Technology program designed, printed and spiral-bound eighty-one 8.5x11 inch coloring books for the Kids Helping Hopkins community outreach program. The students, currently in their third year of the program, used Adobe Photoshop and Indesign to create the page layouts, HP 5100 and 5550 printers to output the images and a CoilMac machine to punch and bind the coloring books with plastic, spiral coils.

Six VEX Robotics teams from Baltimore County schools earned honors in the Battle by the Bay Tournament, held on Saturday, November 17, 2012, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.  In total, 115 teams from throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia participated in the tournament that was sponsored by the CTE Office and the Dulaney High School Robotics Team, sponsored by teacher Brian Bruneau. Participants applied their STEM skills to the VEX Sack Attack event which requires that team robots move bean bags into designated goals to score as many points as possible within a given period of time.  In the middle school division, three BCPS teams were finalists: two teams from Hereford, advised by teacher Chris Putnam, and one from Ridgely, advised by teacher Greg Kallaur. In the high school division, the Pikesville team advised by teacher Kathleen Setzer received an award for design, and the Hereford team, advised by teacher Michael Dodd-O, was a finalist. The team from Towson, advised by teacher Bill Weber, took the championship, qualifying to participate in the VEX Robotics World Championships in California.

The Bayhawk Branch of First Financial Federal Union of Maryland is now in its third year of operation at Chesapeake High School.  The branch is run by six student interns through a partnership between the Business Education and the School to Career Programs.  Interns have been trained by First Financial employees Cindy Jones and Melissa Surdel.  These six interns process transactions, answer questions, and perform the everyday duties of tellers.  Aside from assisting customers with their banking needs, the interns have learned great customer service skills, and the importance of professional behavior in the workplace.  They participate in a college-like atmosphere bi-weekly Seminar where they conduct research and complete rigorous assignments related to their internship.

Chesapeake High School
Bayhawk Branch - First Financial Federal Credit Union Pictured from left to right:  Tyrone Casey, Remi Goddard, Victoria Lizardo, Hannah Nguro, Radiyatu Balfalie, Courtney Seabrease

Amala Edwards, a 2011 graduate of the Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management program at Western School to Technology and Environmental Science, and current student at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont, will represent the United States in Leipzig, Germany in the Restaurant Service competition during the biennial WorldSkills Competition. She will compete as a member of the United States “WorldTeam” in the 42nd international event.  Edwards won the right to compete by winning the SkillsUSA Championships gold medal in the Food and Beverage Service competition and by completing other qualifying prerequisites.  While at Western, Edwards was a student of Chef Instructor Lisa Christilf who was named National ProStart Teacher of the Year.

 

 

 

On Nov. 28, Patapsco senior Dalton Butler got the chance to shine the spotlight for the Hippodrome theatre's production of Million Dollar Quartet.  The opportunity was part of the Tech Shadow Program organized by the Hippodrome Foundation, Inc. (HFI), a non-profit partner of the Hippodrome Theatre.   Butler's internship is two days a week and encompasses many aspects of stage production and design.  While most of the work consists of assisting staff members with various tasks, Butler also gets to see shows and, occasionally, help out behind the scenes during a production.  "It is amazing to be part of the production, to hear the audience react and feel the actors' energy," Butler stated in an HFI press release.  He noted, "People don't realize how much is going on behind the scenes. It's so exciting to be a part of it!"  Now in his last year at Patapsco, Butler plans to continue his study of theatre production in college.  "After I graduate from high school I would like to work at the Hippodrome Theatre for a little bit and then go to college for theatre design and production," Butler explained.

Overlea High School Graphic Communication students were inducted as Junior Litho Club officers at a ceremony sponsored by the Litho Club of Baltimore.  Students interested in digital design and printing processes are encouraged to join in order to take advantage of the many benefits of belonging to a professional organization.

Pictured are Overlea High School JLC Officers:  Vice President, Shawna Minielli; President, Candace Markiewicz; Secretary, Adrienne Weston; Historian, Rachel Olson; and Treasurer, Abby Krabal.  The students are flanked on the left by the President of the Baltimore Litho Club, Laurie Finckel, and on the right by their instructor, Lauren DeFeo and the BLC Education Committee Chair, Charlie Benjamin.

Through Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs, BCPS prepares thousands of students each year to enter the workforce ready for success.  The CTE Advisory Council (CTEAC), made up of business and community representatives, sponsors a special recognition ceremony each year to honor more than 140 of the outstanding seniors in CTE programs representing every high school in Baltimore County. 

The celebration culminates in the presentation of the Anthony G. Marchione CTE Scholarship for Excellence.  Each of five finalists selected as outstanding students is awarded a scholarship.  From the five finalists, an overall winner is awarded additional scholarship money to continue his/her education.

The Marchione Scholarship winners for 2012 are (pictured from left to right):

• Renee Wilson, Hereford High School, Agricultural Science
• Gianna Marchini, Sollers Point Technical High School, Allied Health/CNA
• Amanda Lusby, Lansdowne High School, Child Care Services
• Brittany Koury, Perry Hall High School, School Age Child Development and Care
• Courtney Winstead, Milford Mill Academy, Information Technology

Overall winner Gianna Marchini is pictured with Dr. Anthony Marchione, retired Superintendent of BCPS.