Goal: Meet the Needs of All Williston Students

The new CTE Center, scheduled to open in 2025, will open more pathways to successful careers.

By Rebecca Deurlein on September 15, 2023

iStock.com/bancha singchai

Williston, ND, takes an innovative approach to education, ensuring that each step students take leads to success, whether that means entering the military, continuing their education or heading straight into the workforce.

As the assistant principal at Williston High School, Audrey Larson is eagerly anticipating the opening of the school’s new CTE Center, scheduled for 2025.

It is an expansion to the school’s current structure, which will undergo massive renovations, made possible through a $10 million grant from the North Dakota Career and Technical Education Capital Projects Fund and matching donations from Williston community partners.

On the Right Track

Larson sees the new center as an opportunity to meet all Williston students’ needs, regardless of the path they choose.

“Society has been telling kids for a long time that they need to go to college straight out of high school,” she says. “We’re here to show them that’s not always true and educate them about their options and opportunities.”

The new CTE Center will be home to nine programs spanning a wide range of interests, from agriculture to information technology. That’s needed, as the current program has had to turn away hundreds of interested students due to lack of space.

The expansion will house 500 Williston students in flex rooms and 31 classrooms or labs, while expanding program access to popular study areas, like health sciences, construction, and automotive and diesel technology.

“These programs are important for kids to explore so they can make good decisions for their future,” Larson says. “We live in a world where kids are getting their information online or on social media — everywhere, it seems, other than school. We want them to get their information here, and these courses provide that while capturing their passions.”

Power of Discovery

Much has been made of the long-term debt students accrue during college as well as degrees that don’t lead to meaningful work. Williston High School seeks to clarify and expedite that process.

“There’s as much power in discovering what you don’t like as what you do,” Larson says. “High school is a great time to safely explore, an opportunity to save time and money in college.”

That exploration starts early so Williston students can sample a little bit of everything. After filling out career interest inventories in eighth grade, Larson says high school freshmen have an idea of what might interest them.

“Let’s say a freshman enrolls in Introduction to Aviation,” she says. “If she likes it, she can sign up for Aviation 1 and dive deeper. If she decides she loves it and might want to work in the field, Aviation 2 will teach her even more. If at any point she decides it’s not for her, no problem. She can jump into any other program of interest.”

It’s this level of flexibility that makes the CTE Program such a boon for students. In the future, Larson hopes to connect seniors to internships so they can get real-world experience before making a career decision. 

Early Entry to College in Williston

For those sure about their plans for college, Williston High School partners with Williston State College and their Early Entry program. Williston students earn dual credits for both high school and college right at their high school campus and as part of their daily schedule.

They can take dual enrollment courses beginning their sophomore year, meaning some students can graduate high school with a full year of college credits.

The goal is that every Williston student will graduate with dual credits, an industry certification, and/or an internship, preparing them for anything. Larson says these opportunities are good for students, but also good for the community and state.

“Our state is pushing for the development of workforce, and these CTE centers provide that,” she says. “In partnership with our local fire department, our seniors can get EMT certified, then go directly to work for the fire department or work weekends to earn money for college.”

Grant to Help Fund STEM Efforts

Three teachers at Rickard Elementary School have seen their hard work rewarded in a unique way. Working both separately and cooperatively, they submitted what turned out to be the winning plan to earn the Northwest North Dakota Community Foundation Grayson Mill Energy STEM Education Fellowship and a check for $20,000. 

The fourth-grade team discussed applying for the grant together. Collaborating on how to achieve the end product, they each submitted individual plans for getting there. During the interview process, they shared their own perspectives and talking points, and all three beat out other contestants to bring home the honors. 

Teacher Molly Lippert, a member of the winning team, says the group’s plan has three components: attending a STEM conference, building a Rickard STEM library and developing lessons with materials that are tied to state standards.

To bring the plan to fruition, Lippert and her fellow teammates, Amanda Carnes and Jill Beck, attended the three-day National Conference on Science Education in Chicago.

“We were able to be immersed in different programs and products that are available for STEM education,” Lippert says. “Since then, we have worked to build a STEM library for all teachers and students. It offers open-ended materials that can be utilized in various ways, so all students can be served by these resources.”

Lippert says she and her teammates are creating lessons that align with North Dakota standards, along with STEM-focused cross-curricular activities. “We are excited to bring hands-on activities into the classroom that will give the students opportunities to learn cooperatively and teach them skills that can be used throughout their lives,” she says.