Kent Career
Tech Center
2011-2012 Annual Report
Real Life, Real Learning.
thetechcenter.org
Preparing the Next Generation
At Kent Career Tech Center, nearly
2,000 high school juniors and seniors
gain authentic experience each day as
they explore careers and earn credit –
for high school AND college.
Associates Degree nearly complete.
All students may earn both academic
and/or elective high school credit
in our programs. They can also take
additional high school credit.
College options range from earning
free college credit in our programs,
to taking college classes on our
campus, at our satellites and online.
We offer courses with GVSU, Ferris
and Michigan Virtual, depending
on the program. Students in some
programs can graduate with their
Our students do amazing things
every day. From running a restaurant
and bakery, operating jet engines
and flying simulators, designing and
building computer networks, to using
medical equipment and performing
tests on actual patients, our students
do it all. If you haven't seen us in a
2011-2012 Program Offerings
We offer real world learning experience in more than 20 different
career fields, along with internships and apprenticeships. Our students
learn employability and career skills both employers and colleges are
seeking in the following career pathways.
Arts and Communications
Graphic Communications
Regional Theatre Technology
Business, Management,
Marketing, & Technology
Accounting Online
Accounting Systems & Solutions
Information Technology
Entrepreneurship & Marketing
Natural Resources & Agriscience
Engineering/Manufacturing &
Industrial Technology
Applied Construction Technology
Electronics/Electrical Trades
Engineering Technology/Site Design
Management
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration (HVACR)
Precision Machining Technology
Auto Collision Repair
Automotive Technology
Aviation Maintenance Technology
Avionics - Aircraft Electronics
Technology
Diesel & Equipment Technology
while, come visit our main campus
or any of our six satellites. You won't
believe what you've been missing!
Nearly 2,000
Kent ISD students
from 58 sending
schools attended
our programs in
2011-2012
Real Life,
Real Learning.
Health Sciences
Health Careers
Health Sciences Early College Academy
Human Services
Introduction to Hospitality
Culinary Arts
Pastry Arts
Hospitality Fellowship
Criminal Justice
Alternative Energy
Sustainable Agriscience
Meet Seth Barber
In 2011-2012, Seth was a junior,
homeschooled student enrolled
in the Precision Machining
program located at Grand Rapids
Community College’s Applied Tech
Center.
Seth chose his program because
he knew he wanted to learn in a
hands-on environment. “I love
working with my hands and I like
engineering. It was a great fit,” he
says. “My favorite part is being able
to operate machines and create
things out of metal.”
He plans to return for the 20122013 school year and get an
internship with a tool and die
company to help further his skills.
Uncovering KCTC’s Student Voice with the
Principal’s Leadership Team
Our administrators recognize and
value the importance of student
voice and so created the Principal’s
Leadership Team in the fall of 2011.
The group gives students an outlet to
express their thoughts and opinions
about their education and also
provides our staff with insight into
the life of a KCTC student.
It became clear very soon in the
year that the students wanted to do
more than just share their thoughts.
They wanted to become Tech Center
ambassadors, both inside the school
and out in their local communities.
They even wanted to lead schoolwide projects like helping to design
our 40th anniversary graphic and
selling KCTC T-shirts. The team
quickly became both the voice and
the face of the Tech Center.
Three teams (one per session) of
about 10 members each met with
the principal and assistant principal
on a monthly basis throughout the
school year to discuss everything
from cool things happening in each
program, to ways to make the Tech
Center more visible in local high
schools. The group members were
truly diverse and represented various
ethnicities, most of our programs,
nearly all of our local districts and
homeschooled students. Students
were chosen to join the teams based
on staff recommendations and
student applications.
This fantastic team of students
accomplished a great deal in just
their first year, including:
• Provided insight and suggestions to
improve program visits
• Participated in outreach events in
local high schools
• Served as ambassadors at our Open
House events
events involving all or our local
school boards
• Served as an informational panel
for local high school counselors
• Assisted in the creation of a 40th
anniversary graphic
• Designed and promoted the sale of
a KCTC T-shirt
• Participated in the Ted-X leadership
student conference
• Refined and developed their own
leadership skills
We are very proud of the students
who served on this team. Several
will return for 2012-13 and will help
recruit and shape new leaders. We
look forward to working with them,
watching them grow and seeing the
great things they accomplish as they
work together.
• Represented KCTC during KIASB
Our staff raised
$1,406.54 for student
families in need 14 received $100
Meijer gift cards
and the remaining
dollars were used
for emergency bus
passes and lunches
for students in need.
Real Life, Real Learning
thetechcenter.org
Good News from Our Programs
Here are highlights from some of our programs showcasing just a few
of the great things that happened at the Tech Center in 2011-2012.
•
•
•
•
Sustainable Agriscience students
established an “Aquaponic”
system combining fish
production and hydroponics for
vegetable and herb production
160 IT students began Cisco
Networking Academy training
•
Students in HSECA participated
in a total of 793 work-based
learning experiences through job
shadows, field trips and tours,
speakers and clinical hours with
Metro Health Hospital, Grand
Valley State University’s Clinical
Laboratory Science program,
Lemmon-Holton Cancer Center,
Van Andel Institute and more
Applied Construction students
renovated a Habitat for Humanity
home with new windows, new
insulation, new roof, new siding,
all new inside finishes as well as
new cabinets, interior doors and
trim work
HVAC students designed and
replaced the entire heating and
ventilation system for the Habitat
house, including an HRV system
Nearly 2,0000
students from
across Kent ISD
visited our
programs this year
Two female IT students were
honored with Michigan Breaking
Traditions Awards recognizing
their outstanding work in a male
dominated field
•
45 HSECA students participated
in Certified Nursing Assistant
(CNA) training, making them
eligible for the State of Michigan
license exam
•
Applied Construction students
can now earn 5 college credits
per semester from Northern
Michigan University to apply
toward degrees in Building
Technology or Construction
Management
•
•
29 Hospitality students took a
special exam through Ferris State
University certifying them to be
“person in charge” according to
Michigan Health Department
Food Codes
•
•
•
Sustainable Agriscience students
competed at the FFA Statewide
Skills Contest for Nursery and
Landscape, receiving 1st and
2nd place and advancing to the
national competition
The Graphic Communications
program’s Young Creatives
captured photos of events
and programs throughout
the semester and created
presentations for the Student
Union Monitors
Hospitality students were
awarded various scholarships
and awards such as cutlery kits,
garnish kits and chef’s uniforms
for their outstanding culinary
skills
•
Our Applied Construction
program now satisfies the state
requirement of a 60-hour preMichigan Residential Building
Contractor’s Exam course – our
students can take the exam right
after graduation
•
Sustainable Agriscience students
planted hundreds of annuals at
Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
•
Graphic Communications
participated in a collaborative art
project with Byron Center Middle
School
•
Sustainable Agriscience students
harvested 5 to 7 pounds of basil
each week for use in our Culinary
program
•
Two IT students received summer
internships with Kent ISD’s IT
department
•
Applied Construction entered a
partnership with the American
Subcontractors Association of
Michigan, which represents 60%
of Michigan’s subcontractors, to
provide professional speakers,
field trips, job shadows and
mentoring opportunities for
students
•
10 Graphic Communications
students entered the Detroit Auto
Show poster contest
•
Sustainable Agriscience students
completed the landscape design
and installation at the Habitat
for Humanity home renovated
by our Applied Construction
program
Tech Center Students Put Their Skills to the Test
Many of our students participate in skill demonstration competitions
each year. This year was no different and we saw winning students
across the board - many at the top level. To congratulate the winning
students for their outstanding achievements, a small awards ceremony
and reception were held during each session to honor and recognize
their accomplishments.
STEM
SkillsUSA
Three teams from our Alternative
Energy program won prizes in the
Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math (STEM) Energy Fair at Grand
Valley State University sponsored
by the School of Engineering.
Students designed both energy and
sustainability devices and came out
on top in two categories:
Once again, our students participated
in the State SkillsUSA Conference.
Fourteen students placed in their
events. Five gold medalists advanced
to Nationals in Kansas City. Student
awards included:
Best Use of Recycled Materials –
for design of a low-cost water filtration
system that uses solar energy to
sterilize water and kill harmful parasites
Most Applicable to a Home or
Business Setting – model of an energy
efficient home powered by renewable
sources
Our teacher union,
the Kent Intermediate
Education Association,
awarded three $500
scholarships with
funds collected by
members
HOSA
Silver Medals –
3D Design - High School
Extemporaneous Speaking
Health Careers and HSECA students
represented us well at the Health
Occupations Students of America
(HOSA) State Leadership Conference.
HOSA is a student organization
whose mission is to promote career
opportunities in health care and
to enhance the delivery of quality
health care to all people.
Bronze Medals –
3D Design - High School
3D Design - Post Secondary
Automotive Electrical
A team of 3 students placed 3rd in
the State competition advancing
them to the National competition in
Medical Reading.
Gold Medals –
3D Design - High School
State of Michigan Pin, T-shirt and Program Design
Extemporaneous Speaking
Meet Heidi Alt
Heidi, a junior in 2011-2012,
was always intrigued with
computers. Ready to get up close
and personal with the machines,
she enrolled in our Information
Technology program.
One of Heidi’s favorite
experiences was working with
a team of students to build her
own computer network.
“You really get to do a lot of
Real Life, Real Learning
hands-on work and the skills
you learn are the same skills that
you’ll use in your future career.”
Heidi truly enjoys her time at
KCTC and plans to come back
for her senior year. She calls her
decision to attend the Tech Center
“the best decision I ever made.”
After graduation she plans to
attend Davenport University to
pursue a degree in IT.
thetechcenter.org
Post-Secondary Zone
What’s Next for Our Students…
We work hard to expose our students to a variety of post-secondary
education opportunities. College options range from earning free
college credit in our programs, to taking college classes on our campus,
at our satellites and online. We offer courses with Grand Valley State
University, Ferris State University and Michigan Virtual, depending
on the program. Students in some programs can graduate with their
Associates Degree nearly complete. All students earn both academic
and elective high school credit in our programs. Here are some of the
ways we connected our students to post-secondary institutions.
•
•
We put our students in contact
with more than 40 different postsecondary learning institutions
during our College Expo
We provided 63 students
and families with valuable
information through our Annual
Financial Aid Night
•
44 students earned a total of
$102,000 worth of direct college
credit from Ferris State University
through our Health Science Early
College Programs
•
$500,000 – Amount of college
costs including tuition and room
and board, saved by HSECA
students earning direct credit
•
Our students earned 1,083 free
articulated college credits in
2011-2012
•
361 main campus students saved
a total of more than $106,000 in
college tuition costs
•
We maintained articulation
agreements with:
The Art Institute of America –
Novi, Baker College, Davenport
University, Ferris State University,
Grand Rapids Community
College, Lansing Community
College, Lincoln College of
Technology and the University of
Northwestern Ohio
Meet Sophie Rodriguez
Sophie was a junior at Creston
High School and attended
the Graphic Communications
program in 2011-2012.
Sophie plans to attend Western
Michigan University after
graduation to pursue a degree in
graphic design.
She sought out the program
because she loves photography.
Throughout the course of the
program she discovered another
passion – graphics.
She has enjoyed her time at the
Tech Center and says, “it’s a great
way to get hands on experience
and to meet a lot of fantastic
people.”
$708,00 –
amount saved by
our families in
2011-2012 through
our free college
credit options
•
We collaborated with Ferris State
University to offer Hospitality
students free credits and a
Fellowship –
In 2011-12, five students
extended their studies for
a fellowship year following
graduation. This additional year
allows for in-depth study in
either Advanced Culinary Arts
or Advanced Baking and Pastry
Arts. Throughout the program,
students are concurrently
enrolled with Ferris State
University, taking FSU classes and
earning up to 18 credits.
Last year, 86 Hospitality students
earned 156 free college credits
through this partnership with
Ferris.
Meet Steffan Clark and Kile Mitchell
Steffan (under the instrument
panel) and Kile (in red) attended
our Avionics program during the
2011-2012 school year.
Steffan, a student at Caledonia
High School, hopes to become
an air traffic controller and chose
the Tech Center because “it’s the
best place to go if you want to
experience what your career will
really be like.”
Kile, a Lowell High School
student, plans to become an
electrical engineer. He hopes
to attend MSU to pursue his
degree. He feels “the hands on
learning is a great way to get a
jump start on your future.”
Both students plan to return for
a second year of the program in
2012-2013.
Post-Secondary Learning Institutions on Campus in 2011-2012
Air Force Recruiting Service
Art Institutes
Baker College
Calvin College
Central Michigan University
Davenport University
DJ’s Landscape Management
Eastern Michigan University
Everest Institute
Ferris State University
Ferris State University – Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Valley State University
ITT Tech
Johnson & Wales University
Kendall College of Art & Design
Lake Superior State University
Lansing Community College
Lawrence Technological University
Lincoln Tech
Michigan Army National Guard
Michigan Institute of Aviation
Michigan Technological University
Michigan State University College of
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Northern Michigan University
Northwestern Michigan College –
Aviation
Northwood University
Ohio Technical College
Robert Morris University
United States Army
United States Marines
United States Navy
University of Northwestern Ohio
Universal Technical Institute
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University –
Aviation
Western Michigan University Army
ROTC
Western Michigan University College
of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Certifications Available to Our Students
Auto Collision – National Spray Gun (Neeshap 6H)
Automotive Technology – Automotive Service
Excellence (ASE), Motor Vehicle Mechanic Certification
Avionics – NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET),
NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)
Diesel – State of Michigan Diesel Engine Repair
Certification, Forklift Operator Certification
Health Careers & HSECA – First Aid, CPR (American
Heart Association), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Hospitality – ServSafe Certification, Culinary
Management Certification, Hotel and Restaurant
Management Certification
Real Life, Real Learning
HVAC – EPA Section 608 Refrigerant Handling Certification
IT – Cisco Certified Administrator
Sustainable Agriscience – Michigan Certified Green
Industry Professional (CGIP), National Pesticide
Applicators License
Regional Theatre Tech – Personal (Genie) Lift Certification
Kent ISD is an equal opportunity institution. Kent ISD does not discriminate on
the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, physical/mental disability
or veteran status in its educational programming, enrollment, employment or
contracting. The Coordinator for Title IX, Section 504, the Age Discrimination Act
and Title II is Coni Sullivan, Esq., 616.364.1333.
thetechcenter.org
Partnerships Make All the Difference
Partnerships with business and industry bring real experts into the Tech Center
to evaluate student work and help keep our programs current. We thank the
following businesses for their involvement and investment in our students.
3-D Solutions Design Service, LLC
Access Business Group-Amway
African American Health Institute
AIS Construction Equipment
Corporation
AIS Engines
Alticor, Inc.
Alto Precision
AngelCare
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
AutoCam
Automotive Equipment Specialists, Inc.
Auto-Wares, Inc.
Baker College Barnes & Noble
Berger Chevrolet Blakeslee & Son, Inc.
Bosch Diagnostics Brakes Parts, Inc. Canteen Services, Inc.
Cascade Printing and Graphics
Cedar Springs Public Schools
Cherry Street Health
City of Grand Rapids
City of Wyoming
Cole’s Quality Foods, Inc.
Commercial Tool & Die, Inc.
Community Automotive Repair
Concept Visual Inc.
Cornerstone Architects
Crowe Horwath LLP
Cummins Bridgeway, LLC Dan Vos Construction Co.
Davenport University
DaVinci Photography
Delta Imports
Design and Creative Services
Design Plus
Duncan Aviation
Earl's Transmission Service
Earth Tech
East Grand Rapids Police Department
Egypt Valley Country Club
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAS Machining
Ferris State University
Feyen-Zylstra LLC
FinishMaster
Fox Brothers Company Fox Motor Group
Frederik Meijer Gardens
Freightliner of Grand Rapids
Ferris State University Automotive
Department
Ferris State University Visual Design &
Web Media
GinSan Industries
GM, Grand Rapids Metal Plant
Good GMC
Goodwill Industries of GR
Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College/MTEC
Grand Rapids Gravel Company
Grand Rapids Police Department
Grand Rapids Press
Grand Rapids Women’s Health
Grandville Police Department
Gregware Equipment Company
Grand Valley State University
GVSU College of Health Professions
GVSU College of Nursing
GVSU Venture Center
Habitat for Humanity
Hansen’s Collision Inc.
Health Management, FSU
Highland Group
Holwerda Interior Plantscaping
Hooper Printing
Horticulture Therapy Task Force
Hunter Engineering Co.
Inspired Design, LLC
Irwin Seating Company
J Squared Design
Jonny Logo
Kent County Juvenile Court
Kent County Parole Office
Kent County Sheriffs Department
Kentwood Police Department
Knapp Valley Landscaping
Koenes Auto Body Inc.
Kool Chevrolet
L-3 Communications Avionics Systems
Lake Michigan Credit Union
Lansing Community College
Life EMS Ambulance Service
Lincoln Nursery
Mary Free Bed Mavri
Mayday Avionics
Med-Tech Support Service
Meijer, Inc.
Meritage Hospitality Group
Metro Hospital
Metro Mechanical
Michigan Cat
Michigan State Police
Micron Manufacturing Co.
Mierendorf and Company, PC
MSU College of Human Medicine GR
NAPA Auto Parts
Northview Public Schools
Noto’s
Oliver Products
Outdoor Impression
Paragon Die and Engineering Company
Parkway Electric Company
Pfeiffer Collision
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Pleune Service Company
Presto Print
Production Consultants
Public Museum of W. MI
Quality Air Heating and Cooling, Inc.
Quixtar, Inc.
Regional Geographic Information Systems
Rockford Police Dept.
Rodenhouse Body Shop
SF Supply
Signs with Design
Skanska USA Building
Skyline Transmission
Smiths Industries
SoundOff Signal
Spectrum Health
Spectrum Health Healthier Communities
Speedwrench
St. Mary's Health Care
Standard Computer Systems, Inc.
Star Collision CARSTAR
StrikoDynarad
TechStaff Grand Rapids
Tenneco—Monroe
The Caleb Corporation
The Gilmore Collection
The Green Well
The Vantage Group, Inc.
Thornapple River Nursery
Trivalent
Truss Technologies
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
Urban Institute for Contemporary Art
United Way
Universal Forest Products
US Green Building Council
Valspar Auto Finish
Van Singel Fine Arts Center
VanValkenburg & Associates
Veenstra Builders
Verburg’s Auto
Walker Police Department
West Michigan Forest Products
West Michigan Minority Employers
Association
West Michigan Tree Service
Western Michigan University
Williams & Works
Wyoming Police Department
X-Rite Company Zandee’s Auto Repair
1655 East Beltline NE • Grand Rapids, MI 49525 • 616.364.8421
thetechcenter.org