Kick off the conference with an introduction to the new Teacher Resource Tool Kits available on the WITEA website! These kits provide essential resources, including District Developed Student Leadership, SkillsUSA Tool Kit, TSA Tool Kit, Program Promotion, Safety Tool Kit, and Directors Tool Kit. Learn how these tools can support your program, enhance student engagement, and promote safety and leadership in your classroom.
Join us as we celebrate excellence in career and technical education at the WITEA Spring Conference 2025 Awards Session! This special event honors outstanding educators, leaders, and industry partners who have made a significant impact. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize and be inspired by the best in the field. Celebrate achievement, innovation, and dedication with your peers!
The General Membership Meeting will cover key updates, including the Financial Report, TSA Report, SkillsUSA Report, University Report, Legislative Report, and Conference Report. Members will receive insights on financial status, student organization activities, educational initiatives, legislative developments, and conference planning. Join us for essential discussions shaping the future of WITEA!
Nothing excites students more than launching a solid-fuel rocket 400 feet into the air! Learn how the Edmonds MS team designed a five-rocket launcher and discover building techniques, resources, and lesson plans to replicate this project at your school. Expand the possibilities for your STEM classes with hands-on rocketry!
"Design with your software or design it by hand. Use your lab tools (cnc, laser, 3dprint, manual tools, etc) to 'make' the design solutions. Prototyping is, or ought to be, one of your strengths. Come and share some tips and tricks. See a few projects that might challenge you. Pick up some files and ideas to take with you. Our jobs are to help you with Rhino and/or the tools and equipment in your labs."
"CNC machines are powerful tools for creating and learning, but there is more to integrating one into your classroom than buying it and powering it up. We'll discuss the process and strategy to help you expand the capabilities of your machine as an educational tool and an instrument for unlocking your students' creativity.”
Explore how NOAA Teacher at Sea and other research opportunities transform teaching by connecting educators to real-world STEM experiences. From ocean expeditions to global fieldwork, these experiences inspire new classroom strategies and empower students with authentic STEM learning. Discover how industry collaborations bring global issues to life, sparking curiosity and career exploration. Gain tools and inspiration to integrate research-based experiences into your teaching.
Our presentation covers CTE’s impact on us as students and future Tech Ed teachers. We’ll discuss our CTE classes, skills gained, and how they influenced us. Our goal is to highlight CTE teachers’ efforts and their impact while encouraging them to identify future educators. By expanding recruitment efforts, we aim to grow and sustain CTE, aligning with the theme of increasing Tech Ed/CTE teachers.
Ever wondered about what its like to 3D print in metal? We purchased a Markforged full Metal 3D Printing system for our engineering department, and I will go over the details of the system, what the finished product looks like, how it performs, and the cost of running such a system.
Create a culture of quality education in a Core Plus Aerospace shop through standard procedures, checklists, and employability skills. Focus on student cell phone management, machine operation, daily routines, and shop maintenance. Combine lean and learning practices to simplify tasks and achieve operational excellence. Emphasize quality, innovation, process excellence, safety, leadership, engagement, strategic focus, and exceeding expectations.
This training is designed to support your understanding of the Core Plus Construction Canvas website and the updated instructional materials. We will walk through the Canvas platform, where to find the CPC lesson plans and resources, and best practices for a strong implementation of CPC. Bring your laptop!
I use google applications extensively for collaborating with colleagues, student safety assessments and students self assessments. You will leave with access to a shared drive with student projects, safety tests, etc.
This session will give examples of engineering challenges that can be used in a general shop environment at the middle school level. Shop layout, tools, machines and skills will also be discussed. Examples of craft stick and glue engineering challenges will also be presented, appropriate for a shoe-string budget and remote learning.
Let’s talk SAFETY!!! I know that Safety in your Lab can be overwhelming but, in this session, you will walk away with access to enough safety documentation to hopefully put your mind at ease and allow your students to perform at a secure level in your lab. We will talk about everything from monthly tool safety checks to student safety tests and records to even shop layout. Come on, let's talk shop… safety.
"Do you know what to do if you have an accident in your lab? You know- what questions will be asked, what documents you’ll need and who needs to be in the loop. This session will share all those things and more. This is a follow-up to the safety session."
We will discuss the similarities and differences between various staff and volunteer positions, how to most effectively train them & tap into their expertise, and how to modify projects & grading to meet IEP/504 accommodations. This year I’m hoping to be able to share more information about how to approach your district leadership for full time help. Come prepared to ask questions and/or share tips.
How to utilize Canvas and Electude integration to setup a scope and sequence once and for all that grades automatically, gives instructors instant feedback and allows for more time in the shop.
Friday Harbor High School's EV Principles course immerses students in electric vehicle tech through hands-on learning. This presentation highlights their SWITCH 96V LiFePO car build, industry-relevant skills, and future collaborations, including a joint EV project with Bellingham High, Skagit College partnerships, and potential track days. Discover how these efforts expand career pathways, drive innovation, and inspire the next generation of EV professionals while promoting sustainability.
Do you have a construction class but do not have the space, budget, or support to create a large capstone project? Then this class is for you. This class will provide you with over a dozen small skill-based projects that will allow your students to build the skills they need with construction tools that translate to construction jobs. Each project can be tailored to your space, budget, and material needs.
Expand your CNC project ideas by "Dusting off your CNC machine". Review of new project ideas. Tips and tricks on how to start using your CNC router with your students.
Preparing students for the workplace requires an active partnership between business and education. Knowing what employers need helps educators prepare students for success. The world changes - fast! Today's employers can partner with educators to achieve the mutual goal of preparing workforce-ready graduates, but it requires alignment. Learn what employers need most and how to incorporate those skills into your classroom.
Help students go from apathy to passion. Help students identify their WHY to give PURPOSE to their WHAT. “When you know your WHY your WHAT becomes more impactful because you’re walking towards or in your PURPOSE.” – Michael Jr. This content especially helps in project-based learning where students need to know what they are doing and how to do it. We help students do what Eric Belgau, one of our advisory members, stated best, “Know your lane, stay in it and drive fast.”
"Dig into the research on goal setting, deliberate practice, and other methods for skills improvement. Emphasis will be placed on helping students establish SMART and stretch goals within the context of CTE. Strategies and resources will be shared. (New and improved distance learning edition!) A good article about the need for students to set their own goals: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/opinion/children-choices-goal-setting.html"
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit engaging students in robotics, fostering innovation, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Aligned with "Expanding the Possibilities," it empowers students to push beyond traditional education, explore technology, and gain confidence in problem-solving. FIRST Robotics provides invaluable experiences that inspire students to realize their potential in STEM fields.
Skillveri’s XR skill-training platform offers immersive, cost-effective training for high-dexterity manufacturing skills like welding, spray painting, HVAC, and solar panel installation. It provides realistic simulations with accurate performance measurement via scorecards. Used by industries and institutions, Skillveri enhances learning without replacing hands-on experience, making training more accessible and efficient.
EZ-Robot is a versatile, user-friendly educational robotics platform that engages students and boosts enrollment across demographics. Using JD, it sparks interest in robotics for 25%-45% of high schoolers and 90% of middle schoolers. As robotics and AI reshape society, it's crucial to equip all students with strong technical skills.
A talk about the benefits of working with the Microbit and how I made the transition from Arduino to the Microbit. Will include on the lessons developed and the hardware that I created for the students to use. Will also talk about the lower cost robot platform that I will be using with my program this year
This session equips broadcasting and filmmaking teachers with practical tools and ideas to expand programs and recruit students. Attendees gain lesson plans, project resources, and strategies for managing student roles, equipment, and file organization to streamline operations and foster creativity.
Burlington-Edison High School's Podcasting course is a dual credit English and CTE elective that merges STEM and the arts. Over four years, students have grown by exploring the intersection of ELA, leadership, and industry standards. This session covers targeted standards, classroom examples, pacing guides, and hardware/software recommendations, showcasing how CTE and core content can seamlessly integrate for student success.
Explore the history, design, and engineering of bridges while integrating the International Bridge Contest into your classroom. Learn to incorporate structural dynamics, technical reading, and efficient design through hands-on model building. Leave with a plan, resources, and an engaging project. Plus, participate in a friendly truss-building contest—with prizes!
Discover the Shaper Origin, a portable CNC router for precise machining in any workshop. This session covers unboxing, setup, drawing shapes, importing inlays, cutting paths, and accessing ShaperHub projects. Get hands-on experience with this game-changing tool and explore how it can elevate your creations.
Join the Maritime and Agriculture Centers of Excellence and the AGC Education Foundation to explore 180-hour welding frameworks offering state equivalency credits in Math and Science. Your feedback is crucial to ensure these frameworks align with academic standards and meet the needs of educators, students, and industry. Share your insights and professional development needs to help shape the future of welding education!
"Think Safe, Act Safe, Be Safe" explores balancing shop safety with student engagement. It covers middle school shop options, including traditional tools like scroll saws and STEM tools like 3D printers and laser cutters. The presentation will compare written and verbal tests, highlighting how scantron bubble tests save time. Teachers can see how their safety procedures and test questions measure up, with a focus on the timing and amount of time students should spend on safety tests.