Category: News

Davey Steele was always an athlete, so it was a natural fit when he got a work-study job running the video board, replay system, and shot clock for Vandal games at the University of Idaho’s Kibby Dome.

After he graduated with a degree in advertising in 2012 and had trouble finding a job, he started teaching economics, business, and merchandising at Lewiston High School (LHS). Before long, Steele found himself in a familiar spot: running the scoreboard, video board, and shot clocks at LHS’s basketball games. One night, Steele struggled to run all the equipment, plus play music during time outs on his own.

“It was absolutely crazy, and I needed help,” Steele recalls. “At some point, I thought, ‘I could teach my students to do this.’” Steele approached his principal about teaching the kids video production so they could help run games, and with his support, Steele started a sports broadcasting class as part of the school’s digital media production pathway.

Soon after, Steele requisitioned some lighting and a Tricaster production system for doing live video and graphics, and students started going live on YouTube with their school announcements every morning. This initial investment in equipment allowed the sports broadcasting students to stream the 2022 Golden Throne basketball game, an annual charity event held at Lewis-Clark State College. Their high-quality production received an incredible number of views on YouTube. Steele and his students were so excited they started live-streaming all of LHS’s basketball games.

“Games would end around nine or 9:30 p.m., and we’d have to wheel everything back to the studio to record the daily announcement the next morning. I didn’t like the wear and tear on the equipment,” said Steele.

Then, one of Steele’s students told him about a school in Mississippi with a mobile TV studio in a semi-truck. Steele had heard about Governor Little’s Leading Idaho grant program, so he wrote a grant for $104,000 to create LHS’s own mobile TV studio, complete with a trailer, replay system, monitors, Tricaster, and 300-foot cables.

With the mobile studio, we’ll be able to live stream our games on YouTube, and I believe we’re in a position to get enough views that we can sell ads.

Davey Steele

But Steele’s students’ ambition extends far beyond the studio. As LHS’s BPA, yearbook, and Associated Student Body advisor, Steele also encourages his students to flex their entrepreneurial muscles. One of his students took pictures at school dances and sold flash drives of the unedited images for $20; she raised $1,000 in a single night. Another student developed a marketing plan for the athletic department and used the school’s large-format Epson printer to print banners on sticky vinyl and windscreens to hang in the gym and outdoor facilities. They were sold to local businesses, and she raised $80,000 in a year.

Steele’s innovation and entrepreneurial drive were among the many factors that led to his program receiving an honorable mention in IDCTE’s 2023 Exemplary Program Awards. “We’re well on our way to being self-supported,” said Steele. “I say all this because I hope schools across Idaho can see what we’ve done here and be inspired to do the same.”

In 2014, Francis Carlson’s career took an unexpected turn. Though she had a certificate in fine woodworking from Selkirk College in Nelson, British Columbia, she struggled to find a job in the post-recession economy. It was then that Carlson, a 2011 Bonners Ferry High School (BFHS) graduate, discovered an opportunity to share her passion for woodworking in education.

Faced with the potential cut of the woodworking program at her alma mater due to the absence of a teacher, Carlson stepped in as a substitute teacher. Her initial reluctance turned into a genuine passion, and with enough experience on the job, she obtained a limited occupational specialist certificate and made the leap into teaching full-time.

“If we want our students to have the best education, we have to give them access to the best equipment,” Carlson affirmed. “Now I’m confident my students have that.”

Francis Carlson

Over the past nine years, Carlson has earned a bachelor’s degree in technical education and will finish a master’s degree in curriculum development from the University of Idaho. She has also become a fervent advocate for technical education and the imparting of practical employability skills.

“I’m passionate about CTE. I feel like this is where we should be directing our time, energy, and resources,” said Carlson.

Under Carlson’s guidance, the BFHS woodworking program has blossomed. Students start the program learning basics in shop safety, small tools and machines, as well as measuring and layout concepts. Students focus intensively on standards, planning, materials, drafting, and reading plans in their second year. The curriculum emphasizes lean manufacturing principles and includes techniques such as gluing and computer numerical control engraving for personalization. In their third year, students delve into the intricacies of cabinet joints, doors, and drawers, culminating in constructing cabinets for various locations at BFHS, such as classrooms, the principal’s office, and the shop toolroom. In the final year of cabinets, students dive deeper into cabinetry and fine woodworking learning advanced skills like veneering, glass etching, table construction and joints, with special emphasis on cabinet and furniture production. 

Carlson actively collaborates with local employers to understand their needs, establish internships, and cultivate positive relationships with businesses. She also strives to give her students experience with industry-standard equipment so they can meet employers’ expectations on the job.

However, acquiring the necessary resources can be challenging in a small school within a small district. Though Carlson has made consistent upgrades and improvements since she began teaching, there’s one piece of equipment she hasn’t been able to replace: a dust collector originally installed in 1992. This vital component removes sawdust and woodchips, ensuring clean air and a safe work environment for students. The existing collector showed signs of wear and tear, but the financial burden of a $200,000 replacement was daunting for a small school.

Undeterred, Carlson used her grant-writing skills and applied for a Leading Idaho grant. In September 2023, she secured a $250,000 grant, not only covering the replacement of the dust collector but also upgrading the planer, drum sander, and jointer. The equipment is currently being manufactured, with the installation expected in January or February 2024.

Despite the temporary inconveniences during the installation, Carlson is optimistic about the new, more efficient equipment and how it will contribute to a dynamic and engaging educational experience. “If we want our students to have the best education, we have to give them access to the best equipment,” Carlson affirmed. “Now I’m confident my students have that.”

Paul Rood always liked cars, so it came as no surprise that after high school graduation in the late 1980s, he enrolled in Universal Technical Institute’s two-year auto diesel degree program and discovered his niche in heavy duty diesel repair.

“I never thought about being a diesel mechanic. Back then, it really wasn’t on my radar for a career,” said Rood. “But I took a diesel class for the heck of it and ended up really liking it.”

After 30 years working for top-tier employers like Peterbilt and Knife River, teaching was never on his radar. But somehow, towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CTE administrator at Kuna’s Swan Falls High School got a hold of his resume. The person who had been teaching diesel technology resigned unexpectedly, leaving a vacancy for a teacher with industry experience.

“All of my family and friends thought I’d be perfect for teaching, but I’d never really considered it until then,” said Rood. “When I went in for the interview, I was so impressed with the facility, I thought, ‘what the heck?’ and gave it a shot.”

I’m very tenacious, and what I envisioned when I took the job three years ago is pretty much where we’re at right now.

Paul Rood

Though Rood immediately took to the classroom and found students liked and respected him because of his experience, he found pursuing his Degree Based Career Technical Certificate through Idaho State University to fulfill the certification requirements was the most challenging part of his transition from industry veteran to educator.

“I don’t have a college background, so it was really frustrating to learn how to use software and technology platforms that I simply didn’t have to learn or use in the shop,” said Rood. “I think this is a glaring issue not only for me, but for other trades professionals trying to bring their experience to the classroom. Professors simply take for granted this gap in knowledge.”

Fortunately, Rood’s mentors from the Division, Bill Brown and Sandy Murin, helped him navigate the expectations of college-level work while simultaneously acclimating to being a new teacher.

“That first year was pretty challenging, but I always felt like Bill and Sandy were in my corner,” said Rood. “Bill especially helped me learn to play the game, and he’s talked me off the ledge more than once.”

In addition to his mentors, Rood also received strong support from the community and his technical advisory committee.

“Western States Cat, Knife River, Sun Rock, Western Trailer have all been so helpful since I’ve started this program. They donate parts and loan me equipment and give the kids opportunities like job shadowing, mentorship positions, and academies that lead to paid positions when they graduate,” said Rood. “I want my kids to aim high and feel comfortable rubbing elbows with people in prestigious shops. These partnerships really give them that.”

With only two classes left to complete his university coursework, Rood sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

“When I inherited this shop, it was just walls. I didn’t have any training aids or equipment to work on or any relationships with employers,” said Rood. “I’m very tenacious, and what I envisioned when I took the job three years ago is pretty much where we’re at right now.”

Since Sandra Cortes was a child, she wanted to drive big trailers. However, her mother believed it was a job suited only for men. So, Cortes put her dream aside and settled for driving 10-wheel trucks, water trucks, and tractors with trailers on a dairy farm in Jerome, Idaho. Everything changed when she learned about the College of Southern Idaho’s (CSI) commercial driver’s license program (CDLP).

In Idaho, aspiring commercial truck drivers need a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) to enroll in truck driving school. Getting this permit involves applying and taking a written test, but Cortes faced a language barrier that prevented her from meeting these requirements. However, CSI’s CDLP is part of its integrated educational training (IET) programs. This specialized adult education model tailors learning experiences to a particular profession, so students receive job-specific training while improving other basic skills like literacy and English language acquisition. It was a perfect fit for Cortes’ needs and interests.

“At CSI, our IET programs focus on careers in high demand for our region, such as welding or certified nursing assistant,” said Jennifer Hall, director of College and Career Readiness and adult basic education at CSI. “According to the Idaho Department of Labor’s August 2023 labor market report for South Central Idaho, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were among the three occupations with the most job postings.”

When students enroll in the program, they’re assessed on their skills so support can be tailored to their current needs and abilities. The eight-week program includes learning job-specific skills like safety protocols, traffic laws, basic vehicle inspection, and general education skills such as vocabulary tailored to commercial truck driving.

“The CDLP program helped me understand there is more to driving than just getting on a trailer and moving forward. I use what I learned from this program every day; it’s changed the way I drive.”

Sandra Cortes

After completing the program, students earn their CLP and can enroll in one of CSI’s partner driving schools for their commercial driver’s license (CDL). After Cortes finished the intensive four-week driving course with an endorsement in doubles and triples, CSI extended job placement aid, leading her to her current role as a long-haul truck driver at Riverence, an Idaho-based sustainable aquaculture company.

Cortes is thrilled with her new career and deeply appreciates the support she received.

“I started with little experience, but they gave me a chance to learn,” Cortes said. “Riverence feels like my second school; landing this job has been an incredible experience.”