WITH CTE, THE KIDS COME BACK

On May 6, when you consider the Clare-Gladwin CTE millage renewal on the ballot, I really hope you’ll remember these four words: The kids come back.

First, they come back in the form of second-year CTE students. After young folks experience Clare-Gladwin CTE programs as juniors in high school, an overwhelming 90 percent of them decide to run it back as seniors. They come back for plenty of reasons. They love the class. They love the instructor. They love the new friends they’ve made from other schools. They love the skill set they build as they make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. They love the opportunity to experience CTE’s Work-Based Learning program, where they spend time in the actual workforce in the career field they want to pursue. They love the industry certifications they attain to apply to those fields. Whatever the reason - and there are many - the kids come back.

Next, they come back after graduation. We see it all the time. They come back to CTE the same way a 22-year-old returns to his high school to watch a football game on the field he used to rule - to relive a memory, to smile looking back at something he loved so much. They come back to CTE to re-establish connection with the instructor who meant so much to their career choice - maybe for advice, maybe for a recommendation, maybe to say thank you for helping them find that elusive answer we all seek at that age.

Then, finally, they come back as working men and women. This time, though, they’re not coming back to CTE; they’re coming back to our communities. And they’re coming back as extremely employable people who support critical workforce needs in manufacturing, healthcare, construction, automotive, welding and education. They’re coming back as the people who will ultimately determine the health of our local economy.

In 2016, when voters first approved the dedicated CTE millage in Gladwin and Clare Counties, our CTE program was one of only a handful in the state without one. Since that millage passed, our CTE enrollment has skyrocketed more than 60 percent, from about 240 students a year back then to just under 400 now. That number is eye-popping; it means more than 40 percent of juniors and seniors from Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin and Harrison attend CTE. Let that sink in. Think about the sheer educational impact CTE has on so many young people every year.

In that span, CTE has also listened attentively to its constituents in the business community, implementing high-demand training in areas like welding, manufacturing, agricultural science and diesel/heavy machinery. That’s in addition to robust existing programs like construction, healthcare, automotive, culinary arts and more.

Since the millage passed in 2016, more than 2,500 students have passed through our doors, grabbing hold of a head start on those in-demand, well-paying careers in fields they love. We’ve flooded local industry with certified, well-taught employees who know the value of showing up on time, every time, and of working with people in a professional environment.

With the CTE millage renewal on the ballot on May 6, it’s imperative that voters understand that approving the request won’t increase their taxes - not one bit. It’s a renewal - a chance to keep things going strong at no additional cost to taxpayers. When you vote on May 6, I urge you to remember CTE’s motto: It’s working. Truer words were never spoken. That’s why the kids come back.

(Eric Johnson is the Director of Clare-Gladwin CTE.)