GREEN BAY, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed February as Career and Technical Education (CTE) month.

State Superintendent of Schools Jill Underly is touring the state to see how school districts are exposing students to a variety of career development experiences. 

Underly stopped at Southwest High School to learn how the Green Bay Area Public School District is preparing students for jobs in science and health fields.

Genevieve Winkler is a senior in the agriscience program. She said she’s loved gardening since she was little and her green thumb is hereditary.

“My dad grew up on a farm. So there was a family farm and I always wondered what that was like,” Winkler said.

Winkler said she’s taken several CTE courses and learned to grow different lettuces hydroponically. She said it’s a lot of work but worth it.

“We work really hard to maintain nutrients and pH levels. We make sure we clean everything. We make sure the lettuce is clean. We actually provide lettuce services for our school lunches. So, it’s really cool to see students eating something that you grew,” Winkler said.

During her Wednesday tour, Underly saw how students are learning about a wide range of careers from the school’s youth apprenticeship program to agriscience. 

“We’re using all the skills that they learn reading literacy, problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork and that’s really the beauty of CTE,” Underly said.

At Southwest High School, 25% of students take two or more CTE courses. Underly said this is important because the graduation rate for students taking two or more CTE courses in a career pathway is 95%. DPI said that rate is 10% higher than the national average high school graduation rate.

“We need to make sure that we’re reaching these kids at a young age, getting them on the path that they desire, you know, for their career, because then they’re not going to waste any time figuring out what it is they need to do and then they’re able to get into the workforce faster,” Underly said.

That’s something students such as Winkler find invaluable as they decide what they may want to do in the future.

“I’m hoping to be a politician. I’m likely going to focus on protecting our environment. And I really would like to get involved with schools and make sure other schools can have similar experiences as this,” Winkler said.

Officials said they want to expand CTE across the state. This will allow even more students to explore potential careers through a blend of classroom instruction and hands-on experiences.