Patterson Family Foundation Awards CTE Grant to USD 333 Concordia Education Fund

USD 333 Concordia students will be better prepared for the regional workforce because of a $93,880 grant recently awarded to the district by the Patterson Family Foundation.  The grant provides for Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum, tools, and equipment to USD 333 classrooms.  Career and Technical Education (formerly called “vocational” programs) offer opportunities for junior and senior high school students to gain skills for the Kansas workforce in fields such as agriculture, construction trades, manufacturing, and business management.  State and federal funds cover some of the classroom costs, but materials and equipment are constantly becoming more modernized in the workforce, and student skills must reflect the industry standards.  Concordia schools are fortunate to partner with local business and industries, however equipment and materials are expensive, and often beyond what local businesses and rural schools can provide.     

Kimberly Muff, Director of the Concordia Education Fund, says that CTE funding was determined a priority funding area when the USD 333 education fund was created last October.

“We want to be able to provide state-of-the-art materials and equipment so students can learn skills to potentially become employed locally.  If we can provide the training while in high school, students can immediately impact the community upon graduation, and then continue a technical or college education to improve their ability to become high-wage earners,” Muff said. 

Muff says CTE training is a win-win for the schools and the community.  

“When we teach high-level academic and technical skills in the classroom, our students are best equipped to work locally and earn wages that move our community forward,” Muff said.

The grant was awarded through a highly competitive process to school districts that demonstrated the district’s funding gaps through local data.  USD 333 Concordia showed how the awarded funds will improve student learning in our CTE classrooms through curriculum resources that meet national industry standards, and by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment that will prepare students for the workforce.  Through grant funding, career pathways at USD 333 will receive updated curriculum and/or tools and equipment.  Some of the items include a CNC plasma cutter, virtual software for Animal, Plant, & Health Science, a stainless steel preparation table for culinary arts, updated Business Management curriculum, and Digital Media cameras.  The Career & Technical Education pathways include:   

• Animal Science
• Business Finance
• Construction & Design
• Digital Media
• Fashion, Apparel, Interior Design
• Health Science
• Plant Systems
• Power, Structural & Technical Systems
• Restaurant and Event Management 

Contact Kim Muff at kim.muff@usd333.com to learn more about the USD 333/Patterson Family Foundation CTE grant, how you can become a classroom sponsor, or how you can support USD 333 Career & Technical Education programs in other ways through the Concordia Education Fund.