High school to offer pre-engineering, more

By Patti Jares, Staff Writer

CTE instructor Kevin Elinski

Two programs that the Arizona State Department is calling “new and emerging,” will be ready for operation some time this fall on the Wickenburg High School campus.

Under the Career and Technological Education (CTE) Department (formerly referred to as vocational education), the school is offering pre-engineering and a new and revised construction technologies course, both three-year programs.

Both programs will use new classrooms complete with labs, which will be built into an existing building by Crissman Construction.

The project will be paid for with a federal grant with most funding coming from WestMEC (Western Arizona Education Center), a large cooperative-type educational district encompassing the Phoenix area. The Wickenburg school district became a part of WestMEC in 2005.

“The pre-engineering program will incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) into the curriculum - subjects needed in our high-tech society,” according to the instructor, former-engineer-turned-math-teacher Kevin Elinski, “and a nationally recognized approach that helps students gain a strong background in [these disciplines].

“It’s going to be an interesting way to start the year,” said Elinski, referring to the fact that once Crissman begins the project of building the labs into the large “warehouse-looking structure that has been empty for quite some time,” it will take an estimated four weeks to complete. “It might be a little challenging, but once the kids see something happening, it’ll get them enthused.”

The lab will consist of a series of tables - each table will focus on a particular module, or project. The students will follow instructions from a DVD and learn at their own pace.

Some of the subjects offered will be Aerodynamics, Turnkey Invention & Design Systems, Robotics, Hydraulics, Sensors, Thermal Pneumatics and more.

In the second year of the program students will be introduced to architectural design utilizing CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, the same program used by engineers to view two- and three-dimensional designs on a computer.

“This is a high-end program,” said Elinski enthusiastically. “The ‘Pro-E’ would cost homes and businesses $10,000 to $15,000, but they offer it to schools for $60!”

By the third year, students will work in teams of six “to independently design, estimate and build small structures following various guidelines to put their skills to use,” according to Elinski. “Before, if a student wanted to be an engineer, nobody could tell him what it was. They’re going to learn things I never learned in high school, and when they get to college they’ll have a better idea of what an engineer is.”

The new construction technologies program will offer students the opportunity to work in a lab in teams of three with hands-on learning - an approach not offered previously.

“Students will be able to design, estimate and build structures - get down to real life,” said CTE Director Marcia Hespen. “In real life you’re not sitting in a room with 25 desks, you’re working with a team. The industry is telling us we’re not sending out prepared workers, and this concept will prepare our students to enter the work force with a level of experience. And we’re thrilled to have Kevin teaching the courses. He’s a flexible, out-of-the-box type thinker that we needed - and with his math skills he’s a diamond in the rough - a rare find.”

Both programs coincide with a new plan developed for Wickenburg High School. Beginning this fall, all freshmen will sit down with school staff and devise a four-year plan, based on each student’s talents, skills and interests. Soon to be a requirement for all Arizona high schools, Hespen is delighted that the cutting-edge program is being implemented at this time.

“There’s no other course I know of that gives students a picture of their life like this,” she acknowledged. “What we’re really trying to do is help them (students) investigate and analyze their interests in a practical way and let them choose courses accordingly. In the old days young people got jobs out of high school, but today jobs require more in-depth training. What I want for the child when they come out (of high school) is the option of getting an entry-level job or going to post-secondary school - tech school, community college or a four year school.

Other programs offered through CTE include basic and advanced Web design, sports and entertainment marketing, business management and administrative services (approval by the State Department anticipated soon), business and technology foundations, and culinary arts.

“Through this four-year plan we can create a 10-year plan,” said Hespen. “We’re not trying to make decisions for the students, but this helps them to explore their possibilities, prepares them for life after high school. We used to do this for 10 percent of the students with college-bound classes, but what about the other 90? Our district has embraced CTE and I applaud them for their foresight.”

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