From the Director, Kevin Summey

As we enter the final month of 2024, we are thrilled to reflect on the accomplishments and milestones in Career and Technical Education (CTE) across Saginaw County. December offers us an opportunity to celebrate our progress, express gratitude for our community’s support, and lay the groundwork for a successful New Year. This month, our focus is on equipping students and educators to finish the year strong and step confidently into 2025.

In this edition, we’ll spotlight:

Work-Based Learning Opportunities
College and Career Advisement, including a calendar of upcoming events
Career Development Initiatives
Youth Ambassador Program Updates
Exciting Events at the Saginaw Career Complex
CTE and Early Middle College Updates

We are grateful to be part of a community that values empowering students with the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed for lifelong success. Together, we are shaping brighter futures, one pathway at a time.

Wishing you a joyous and productive December!

Work-Based Learning and Employer Connections

Claire Beck, Hemlock High School’s Work Based Learning Intern, is currently employed at Farm Bureau Insurance in Hemlock, MI. Owner Megan Beldyga states, “In the mid-90s, I was a Co-Op student. My high school Co-Op job helped me to choose my career as an Insurance Agent.” I am thrilled to hire and contribute to the success of this program. Claire is such a friendly, hardworking, and charming person with our clients and team. Claire has said “I'm very thankful for having my job at Farm Bureau Insurance. I've gotten the opportunity to learn how to communicate with clients effectively, manage my time, and understand insurance overall. My plans after high school are to play volleyball and pursue a business or finance degree. I strongly recommend Work Based Learning. It has been a wonderful experience.”

two female students, one adult female and one male standing in front of a fall decorator tree in an office setting

female student standing next to a pumkin and fall tree in an office setting

College & Career Blue and Gold banner with the words "Helping Students navigate their path during and after high school through College & Career Readiness

School Counselors & Career Readiness Teams

Our 2024-2025 school year workshops and training sessions!

Wednesday, Dec. 4th, 2024 @ Saginaw ISD - MI Career Development Model, EDP, & Xello

Wednesday, Jan. 29th, 2025 - Talent Tour - Consumers Energy & More

Wednesday, Feb. 19th, 2025 @ Northwood University -Topics: College Knowledge

Wednesday, Mar. 12th, 2025 @ Bay-Arenac ISD-Topics: Social Emotional Learning & More

Wednesday, Apr. 9th, 2025 @ Saginaw ISD - MI Career Development Model & More

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 - Talent Tour - Dow Chemical & More

Save the Date! Our next professional development offering will be held on Wednesday, December 4th at Saginaw ISD’s Unity Hall. See the flyer below for details and registration. We hope to see you there!

Flyer for Counselor and Career Readiness Teams Professional Development Day on December 4th at the Saginaw ISD Unity Hall from 8am-2pm. Topics include fire academy update, hospitality update, EDP requirements, financial aid, and xello updates. 5.5 SCEChs available. Contact Amanda Koch at akoch@sisd.cc

School Career Readiness Teams Explore Local Businesses on Talent Tour

School personnel from local career readiness teams recently participated in an engaging Talent Tour, visiting various businesses in the community to explore career opportunities and workforce needs. The initiative, organized in collaboration with local employers, aimed to bridge the gap between education and industry. Participants toured facilities, interacted with professionals, and gained valuable insights into the skills and qualifications sought by employers.

The Talent Tour provided a firsthand look at potential career paths and workforce demands. Participants visited The Doubletree Riverfront, Fabiano Brothers, and Labadie Auto. Business representatives emphasized the importance of building relationships with schools to cultivate a pipeline of skilled talent for the future.

Thank you to Amanda Koch and Sharmee Gloss for making this a memorable day for all of those who attended!

Counselors in a warehouse with yellow safety vests on with a plant manager giving a tour — Fabiano Bros.

Counselors having breakfast at the Double Tree Hotel sitting around a long table with food in front of them — Double Tree Hotel

counselors in an auto body shop getting a tour from the shop manager. There is a truck up on a lift being worked on in the background — Labadie Auto

College & Career Advisors Professional Development Day

On November 13th, the College and Career Advisors group had their monthly professional development day, coordinated by Career Navigator Consultant, Dennis Barlow. The day was led by Jeneen Hautom (MCAN) and Jen Shappell (MI Student Aid) who presented to the group regarding the available financial resources for our Saginaw County students who are preparing for post-secondary life.

Six adults sitting at round tables and desks at the Saginaw ISD collaborative space

College & Career Development In Our School Districts

On Thursday, November 7th, Dyimond Snow, College & Career Advisor, hosted a Skilled Trades Day for students at Carrollton High School. Over 60 students took time out of their school day to meet with local representatives from Local 7 - Sheet Metal Workers, Greater Michigan Construction Academy, Local 85 Plumbers, Steamfitters, and HVAC Techs, Delta College Skilled Trades & Apprenticeships, Local 706 Carpenters, and Local 557 IBEW. Ann Marie Batkoski, Saginaw ISD CTE Business Partnership Consultant, played a major role in connecting Ms. Snow to these amazing community partners! Ms. Snow stated, "All left feeling more knowledgeable about the fields and details on how to get into the skilled trades."

Three female students standing with a female representative from Greater Michigan Construction Academy with a pink hard hat on the table. They are looking at a Girl Build flyer

students talking with skilled trade representatives at Carrollton High School in their media center

Male student speaking with Delta College representative

Cheasning High School Flyer for their Career Fair on Friday, Decemvber from 9-11 am in their gym

Chesaning Union High School is hosting its 2024 Career Fair for its students on December 20th from 9 am to 11 am. They will have over 40 employers on-site talking to students about opportunities in healthcare, manufacturing, law and public safety, construction, and more! If you are an interested employer who would like to attend, contact Erica Birkmeier, College & Career Advisor at ebirkmeier@chesaning.k12.mi.us to find out more details!

Heritage High School recently hosted two exciting Talent Tours, giving 9th–12th graders a chance to explore careers in manufacturing (October) and hospitality, sports management, and event planning (November). Organized by Ann Marie Batkoski, Saginaw ISD CTE Business Partnerships Consultant, and Sue Hill, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, these tours offered students valuable insights into diverse career clusters.

Thanks to grant funding secured by Sue Hill, transportation and lunches were provided, ensuring all students could participate.

These Talent Tours highlight the power of partnerships between schools and local businesses. By giving students hands-on career awareness experiences, we’re preparing them for success while helping businesses mentor and inspire future talent. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected community.

Thank you to our hosts, Fullerton Tool, Merrill Technologies, Saginaw Control and Engineering, the Dow Event Center, the Bavarian Inn Lodge, and Restaurant, and Go Great Lakes Bay!

Want to take your students on a talent tour? Contact Ann Marie Batkoski today!

Students standing and listening to Fullerton Tool representative who is about to give a tour

students standing in front of an ice rink with the clear glass in front of them

students staring at the ceiling at the Bavarian Inn Lodge

Dennis Barlow, Career Navigator Consultant, had the pleasure of setting up a field trip for students from the Careers In Education program at SCC. They were introduced to CMU’s English Department during their inaugural “Fire Up For English” Symposium. Students are pictured here with the group Darryl and the Beans (English professors who have created a band.)

students standing in front of a stage with a few members of a CMU band behind them

Ignite a Passion for Skilled Trades!

The Schools for Tool's mobile field trip offers students an interactive introduction to career opportunities in the construction trades through union apprenticeship programs. Recently, it made a stop at Heritage High School, where students participated in hands-on activities, sparking their interest in the skilled trades. Want to inspire your students with this unique experience? Click below to set up a visit and open the door to a future in the trades! https://schoolstotools.org/mobile-field-trip/

female student learaning how to build trusses with wood frames along with a male student

male student trying on safety gear with a male adult assisting

male student using a virtual reality program on a virtual jobsite tour with goggles on and a screen in front of him

UAW 688 President Tony Mann speaking at GM SMCO in front of a group of students sitting at tables

Ann Marie Batkoski, Business Partnership Consultant, chaperoned Engineering and Manufacturing students from the Saginaw Career Complex on a field trip to General Motors, Saginaw Metal Castings Operations, to learn about opportunities in the skilled trades and engineering fields. This new partnership with General Motors helped the students understand GM's Spark Progam which is a registered apprenticeship program through their Local UAW. Click here to find out more information! Thank you to Garrett Wenglikowski and Jared Andres for all that they do for their students.

Saginaw County Youth Ambassadors

Cohort 3 Class of 2025

SagiNOW - Shaping Our Tomorrow, Starting Today

Cohort 3 has been busy, busy, busy; not only are our scholars working on their community and school projects, but the students are also busy applying to colleges and scholarships. This month I would like to highlight Reese Beery of Swan Valley High School.

Reese Beery has been accepted to Saginaw Valley State University and Alma. She is awaiting news from the University of Michigan. Alma College is offering Reese a whopping $36,000 per year in scholarships. She was chosen for the MHSAA scholar-athlete award and recognized as one of the top student-athletes in the State of Michigan. She is considering running Cross-Country for Alma. Great job Reese! We are very proud of you and excited to see where life takes you.

Reese Berry senior photo sitting on the ground next to a tree during the fall season

Cohort 4 Class of 2026

Saginaw County: For A Day or a Lifetime

Youth Ambassador Program Cohort Four - Saginaw County: For A Day Or A Lifetime

Cohort 4 youth ambassadors embarked on another day of touring all that Saginaw County offers, this time focusing on Education. Education Day events are aimed at equipping our young leaders with essential skills and knowledge to inspire them to make a difference in their communities.

Cohort 4 visited UA Local 85 Training Facility, where our leaders tried their hand at activities aligned to learn more about Welding, Plumbing, Pipefitting, and HVAC-R careers. Next, the ambassadors stopped at Stone Elementary and brought Thanksgiving-related projects and stories to the next generation of future leaders. After a presentation from Saginaw Valley State University’s Admission teams, our YAP leaders learned about the opportunities to turn their ideas into products and companies at the SVSU Product Innovation Lab. It was a fantastic day for our leaders to participate in hands-on experiences and to learn more about what Saginaw County has to offer!

student welding with a welding hood on while an instructor watches. Sparks are flying — Local 85

Student reading while sitting in a chair to a classroom of 1st graders who are sitting on the floor — Stone Elementary

students sitting at lab tables listening to an instructor from SVSU talk about inovation — SVSU Innovation Lab

College student showing off a piece of his retractable skateboard as an instructor looks on — SVSU Innovation Lab

Cohort 5 Class of 2027

Cohort 5 Youth Ambassadors Jeahna Schmidt (Birch Run High School - standing) and Ava Shomaker (Birch Run High School- seated) are having a blast at their monthly Youth Ambassador Program - Cohort 5 leadership training. The ambassadors tackled the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

students standing in a room next to white boards. One students is sitting showing a peace sign and one has her arms out wide with a big goofy smile on her face

Student ambassadors spent their leadership day this month tackling the critical topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The day began with a viewing of the thought-provoking movie Freedom Writers, which set the stage for meaningful conversations. Led by Dennis Barlow, Cohort 5 Coach, the group engaged in deep discussions about the themes of empathy, understanding, and the power of shared stories to bridge differences.

Through guided activities, students explored the importance of creating inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and heard. They participated in group exercises that emphasized teamwork, perspective-taking, and the value of diverse viewpoints in leadership.

The day concluded with students reflecting on actionable steps they can take to promote equity and inclusion in their schools and communities, fostering a commitment to being changemakers in creating a more inclusive future.

Saginaw Career Complex

CTE at SCC: Saginaw Career Complex Fall/Winter School Counselor & Supervisors Annual Update - Save the Date - December 19th!

With the 2024-2025 school year off to a great start, we invite you to join us for the Annual Update Breakfast at SCC! Meet the new administration, program instructors, and support staff; as well as the new strategies implemented to support students in their achievement at SCC.

SCC Annual Counselor & Supervisor Update Flyer Thursday, December 19th 8:00am-10:00am at the Saginaw Career Complex Restaurant with pics of students and a QR code

Saginaw Career Complex 10th Grade Presentations

The CTE team has been busy out in the local school districts talking with 10th graders about the opportunities available to them at the Saginaw Career Complex as juniors. It's never too early to start planning for your future. The team visited the following school districts during the month of November: Valley Lutheran, Swan Valley, Bridgeport, Freeland, Merrill, Carrollton, Heritage, St. Charles, Nouvel and Chesaning.

CTE team speaking in front of students who are sitting at desks learning about opportunites at the Saginaw Career Complex — Carrollton H.S.

Nouvel Catholic Central

CTE team presenting in front of St. Charles students — St. Charles H.S.

Amanda Koch and Sharmee Gloss at Bridgeport High School in front of a Early MIddle College slide presentation — Bridgeport H.S.

CTE/Early Middle College Programs

Dual Enrollment Opportunities for CTE Students: Hospitality and Tourism Program

Students enrolled in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Hospitality and Tourism program have the exciting opportunity to earn college credits through a dual enrollment partnership with Ferris State University. This initiative allows high school students to take university-level courses in hospitality and tourism management, providing them with a head start on their academic and career goals. Through this program, students will gain advanced knowledge and hands-on experience in areas such as event planning, hotel operations, and customer service, while also reducing the cost and time required to earn a degree.

Students enroll during the first semester of their junior year with classes beginning with the second semester. Students will take one course their junior year and three courses their senior year, totaling 12 credits, and earn a Resort and Event Management Certificate upon completion. Detailed course descriptions are:

HSMG300 Guest Service Management (3 credits)
HIST230 Michigan History (3 credits)
HSMG190 Resort and Event Management (3 credits)
HSMG215 Hospitality Cost Controls (3 credits)

We are excited for students to have the opportunity to get a jump start on their futures in the Hospitality and Tourism industry.

Saginaw ISD CTE Career and Technical Education Newsletter - November 26, 2024