Career and Technical Education Academy -

In honor of Principals Month, we asked Assistant Principal Mr. Ryswyk:
✨ “Who inspires you as a leader and why?”
✨ “How do you incorporate this into student success daily?”

Here’s what he shared:
“Abraham Lincoln inspires me because of his unwavering integrity and his ability to lead with moral courage during one of the most divided times in American history. He lost many elections before being elected President of the United States, yet he knew he had an important contribution to make to our nation and kept showing up. He did not quit. The Civil War caused tremendous loss of life on both sides, and I cannot imagine the pressure he was under. I believe he leaned on his private, deep faith to make decisions with honesty and compassion. His humility and willingness to listen show that his leadership was about serving others and doing what is right.

Just like Lincoln faced setbacks but never gave up, students need to understand that failure is not the end—it’s part of learning and growing. It is through challenges and mistakes that we gain the most important lessons. I see it as one of my responsibilities to inspire students to engage fully and give their best effort each day at the CTE Academy. Lincoln’s life shows that real success comes not from power or recognition, but from perseverance, service, and integrity—values that can guide both teaching and learning every day.”

Thank you, Mr. Ryswyk, for your inspiring leadership and dedication to our students! 💙 #PrincipalsMonth

In honor of Principals Month, we asked Mr. Hall:
✨ “Who inspires you as a leader and why?”
✨ “How do you incorporate this into student success daily?”
Here’s what he shared:
“Many great leaders I’ve worked with have inspired me through their vision, integrity, and commitment to helping others succeed. However, my greatest influence has been my dad, who modeled leadership through hard work, humility, and putting people first. I strive to incorporate these lessons daily by leading with empathy, setting clear expectations, and creating an environment where every student feels valued and capable of success.”
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for your dedication and leadership! 💙 #PrincipalsMonth #CTEProud #LeadershipInAction

📣 It’s Conference Night at CTE!

Join us tonight, 3:45–7:45 PM for in-person conferences and our Open House (4–7 PM) — open to the public! Come explore what CTE has to offer and see all the amazing things our students are working on!

💻 Virtual conferences will be held Monday, Oct. 27. Keep an eye on your email for a SignUpGenius link from your student’s teacher. If you’d like a time to chat, feel free to sign up!

We can’t wait to see you!
#CTE #Conferences #OpenHouse #CareerTechEd #FutureReady

🏠 Progress Update! 🔨
Check out the flooring going in on the CTE House and the new roof on the Habitat for Humanity House! Our Building Trades students are making big strides and learning hands-on every step of the way. 👷‍♂️👷‍♀️

#CTE #BuildingTrades #FutureBuilders #HandsOnLearning #CTEHouse #HabitatForHumanity #ConstructionUpdate

💼 Academy of Finance Field Trip! 💰
Our AOF students spent the day at the University of Sioux Falls with Dr. Joy Lind, Dr. Brad VanKalsbek, and Professor Bruce Watley — diving into hands-on business learning! 📊

Students worked on Lacey’s Lemonade Project, exploring different revenue models like unit sales, franchising, subscriptions, freemium, and advertising. They also analyzed real restaurant financial statements to determine profitability, ROI, and inventory trends — just like real accountants!

A huge thank you to Professor Jill Witley, Accounting Professor and valued AOF Advisory Board member, for helping make this experience possible. 🙌

#CTE #AcademyOfFinance #HandsOnLearning #BusinessEducation #USF #FutureLeaders #FinanceInAction

🎤 Demonstration Speech Week at CTE! 💬
Students took the stage to share their skills and knowledge — check out some of the awesome demonstrations they presented! 👏

#CTE #CareerReady #PublicSpeaking #HandsOnLearning #CTEPride

🩺 Thank You, USD! 🙏
A huge thank you to University of South Dakota for visiting our Health Careers students! 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Students worked through a realistic case study of a patient with pneumonia and a urinary tract infection, exploring the full process from community health and prevention, to hospital diagnostics, and ending with treatment including a urine analysis and antibiotic injection. Such a hands-on experience helped bring classroom learning to life!

#HealthCareers #CTE #FutureHealthcareHeroes #HandsOnLearning #USD #MedicalEducation

🏡 Sneak Peek! 🎨
Coming next spring — the 2025–2026 CTE House!
Check out our exterior color inspo for the new build 👷‍♂️✨ The rendering isn’t exact, but it’s a pretty good glimpse of what’s to come!

#CTEHouse #FutureBuilders #ConstructionVibes #HomeDesign #CTE

🐾 Small Animal Science Field Trip! 🐶
Our Small Animal Science students took a trip to Dog Days Hotel & Camp! They got a behind-the-scenes look at how pets are cared for while their owners are away — from grooming and boarding to playtime and training. 🐕🏡
#CTE #SmallAnimalScience

🚜 Ag Field Trip Fun! 🌾
Our Ag classes took a trip to a fully functioning farm where we watched a soybean harvest in action! Students learned how soybeans are used to feed cattle on-site and sold off-site — seeing the full cycle of farm-to-feed firsthand. 🐄🌱

And of course… we couldn’t leave without spending time with some super cute baby animals! 🐥🐖

#AgEducation #CTE #FarmLife #HandsOnLearning #SoybeanHarvest #FutureFarmers

🩺 Health Careers I Field Trip! 🏥
Our Health Careers I students had an awesome opportunity to tour Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital! They made real-world connections to what we’re learning in class and got to hear valuable insights straight from healthcare professionals in the field. 💬💉

#HealthCareers #CTE #FieldTrip #HandsOnLearning #FutureHealthcareHeroes #EncompassHealth

🎉📚 Heads up! No school Oct 13–14 for Columbus Day and Teacher In-Service. Enjoy the extra sleep, snacks, and chill time! 😎✨

#LongWeekendVibes #NoSchool #CTE #Recharge

🏡🔨 Check out the progress on the CTE & Habitat House construction! Our students are putting their skills to work and making big things happen. Way to go, team! 👏 #CTEHouse #HabitatForHumanity #HandsOnLearning

🖥️💡 Our Computer Hardware & Software students are diving into individual projects alongside their regular coursework! One student even upgraded his PC with a new radiator and fans—that’s pretty COOL (pun intended 😎). #FutureTechies #HandsOnLearning #CTE

✨ Happy Custodian Appreciation Day! ✨
Today we give a huge THANK YOU to our custodial team for all they do to keep our school clean, safe, and welcoming every single day. 🧹🧼🪣

Your hard work often happens behind the scenes, but it makes a BIG difference for students and staff. We appreciate you! 💙

#CustodianAppreciationDay #ThankYou #SchoolCommunity

🏡 Check out the floor plans for the CTE House! 📐✨ Big things are happening, and we can’t wait to share more. Stay tuned for updates on color combos, features, and all the exciting details! #CTEHouse #FutureHomebuilders #DesignInProgress

🚑 Our Health Careers class has been hard at work learning the essentials of patient care! 🧑‍⚕️ Students practiced wheelchair safety and techniques for safely moving residents and patients in bed—skills that build both confidence and compassion. 💙 #HealthCareers #FutureHealthcareHeroes #HandsOnLearning

🚀 Taking flight in Aviation class! Just a little rocket launching fun last week. Who’s ready for liftoff? ✈️💥

Check out the YouTube video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8eD6Lqgot0

#AviationClass #RocketScience #STEMFun #FuturePilots #HandsOnLearning

💼 Academy of Finance students hit the road this week! 🚗💨 Our class visited First Premier Bank to see finance in action and learn firsthand how banking works. From exploring career opportunities to understanding real-world money management, it was a valuable experience for our future financial leaders! 💰📊

#FinanceFieldTrip #FutureBankers #AcademyOfFinance #RealWorldLearning #MoneyMatters #StudentSuccess