Friday, June 24, 2016

BTC chosen as one of 10 CTE Makeover Challenge Grant Winners!



What a privilege to lead a team and author a proposal representing Burlington Technical Center in the CTE Makeover Challenge Grant.

Our proposal was one of ten selected Nationwide as grant winners!

My thanks to the development team, the students, BTC, Burlington School District, for helping build this innovative concept.

The grant was built off the foundation of work I did with students in the rLab years ago.

Our work builds from a few essential concepts...


  • Collaborative Maker Space where all tech center programs collaborate and help students create individualized learning plans. This design creates cross curricular (program) collaborative learning opportunities.
  • Artist in residence program: Brining in community expertise with stipends to share their innovation and creativity with students and community
  • Community Learning Center: Hosting community events and building explorations to connect the school to innovative people


Here's a caption from the announcement from the CTE Makeover website:

"We are thrilled to share that today the U.S. Department of Education announced the ten prize winners in the CTE Makeover Challenge. Johan Uvin, Acting Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, announced the prize winners at the White House Champions of Change for Making event this afternoon. The Challenge launched in March, calling on high schools to design makerspaces that strengthen next-generation career and technical skills. Over 640 schools from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. entered the Challenge. Eligible schools were invited to participate in a 6-week Bootcamp program to further develop their makerspace ideas, and submit their final plans to be considered for prizes. 
Join us in congratulating the prize winners! 
  • Burlington Technical Center, Burlington, VT
  • Capital City Public Charter School, Washington, DC
  • Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL
  • Clearwater High School, Piedmont, MO
  • Dominion High School, Sterling, VA
  • John H. Reagan Early College High School, Austin, TX
  • Palisades Charter High School, Pacific Palisades, CA
  • Theodore Roosevelt High School, San Antonio, TX
  • THINC College & Career Academy, Lagrange, GA
  • William B. Travis Early College High School, Austin, TX
The prize winners were recommended by a panel of judges composed of high-profile leaders in maker education, tech, and industry. Each winner will receive $20,000 in cash and a share of in-kind prizes from the $375,000 sponsor prize pool to build or renovate their makerspace. Please check back here later this summer for more information on the prize winners’ makerspace plans."
We're excited to explore the proposals from all participating schools and to work with the array of organizations who've donated expertise and materials to the 10 finalists.

Our thanks to the CTE judges, facilitators, and sponsors for recognizing our work as innovative. We are thrilled to begin collaborative efforts.

Development is underway... along with an array of facility renovations at the Tech Center over the Summer too.

Keep moving forward... indeed. ; )