CTE builds essential life skills

At a time when the Trump administration is pulling millions of dollars in funding from career and technical education programs across the country, the AFT is reaffirming its support. On Saturday afternoon, high schoolers from Yonkers, N.Y., spoke to delegates at the AFT’s convention about the benefits of CTE they have experienced as students at Robert Halmi Sr. Academy of Film and Television. After a brief video showcasing student work in film and television production, students Madison R. White, Mikayla McGough and Alexander Torres shared stories of not only acquiring useful skills and knowledge but also learning more about themselves, discovering new dreams and getting inspired to make a difference in their communities and the world.

Madison R. White signed up for postproduction classes because she wanted to try something new. As she gained more skills in video editing and adding effects and put those skills into practice, she realized she looked forward to those projects more and more—and now she realizes it’s a potential career. “The moment I truly felt like I belonged was when I started using Final Cut [editing software],” White said. “It gave me the freedom to be creative and make projects that reflected my own ideas. That’s when editing stopped feeling like an assignment and started feeling like a part of who I am.” Thanks to teachers who believed in and encouraged her, White has skills and confidence she can take with her no matter what career path she follows.

According to Mikayla McGough, the rhythm of “learning by doing” shapes their work every day, as they move from planning to working to cleanup and regrouping for the next day. “Each step brings us closer to completing something real,” McGough said. One favorite experience was recreating a set from the film “Ocean’s Thirteen” and then getting to see actor Don Cheadle perform on that set when he visited the school. They’ve also gotten feedback and guidance from other industry professionals, which has helped them prepare to take their skills out into the world. And while they’re learning technical skills, McGough said, they’re also learning how to “think creatively, adapt and keep moving forward.” They’re acquiring these essential life skills in real time, she said, because “we’re not just watching. We’re doing.”

Alexander Torres has discovered the passions that motivate him through studying camera, lighting and sound in the film and television program. As he has developed his technical skills, he has also honed his career ambitions. After he graduates, he wants to create media that shares essential information and important stories and builds his community. “Whether I’m behind the camera, setting up lighting or recording sound, I want my work to make a positive impact,” Torres said. He thanked the teachers and staff at Robert Halmi Sr. Academy and Yonkers Federation of Teachers President Samantha Rosado-Ciriello; he also encouraged students to consider CTE programs, because they’re so much more than alternatives to more traditional educational paths. Torres said, “Through this work, I found my hope for the future.”

Rosado-Ciriello thanked AFT President Randi Weingarten and the AFT for giving the students this opportunity, including having the chance to shadow AFT staff during the day and assist with lighting, cameras and interviews at the convention. Rosado-Ciriello also expressed her pride in the students and educators who make the program work. “It shows how important CTE programs are to every student in pursuing their careers and seeing what real-life experiences are,” she said. 

[Sharone Carmona/Photo credit: Suzannah Hoover]