WA-ACTE 2026 Summer Conference

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10:00am PDT

Bringing Business, Personal Finance, and Career Readiness Together

Sunday August 2, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

AP Business with Personal Finance helps schools expand access to rigorous, relevant, career-connected learning and is included on Washington’s state industry-recognized credential list. This session will highlight practical strategies for using the course to build financial literacy, business knowledge, and real-world decision-making. Through interactive discussion and practical examples, attendees will leave with concrete strategies for integrating AP into CTE programs and engaging districts, schools, and partners to support student success across college and career pathways.

Speakers

Mikael Taylor

Director, K-12, College Board

Mikael Taylor is a K–12 education strategist at College Board, where he partners with districts and state agencies across Washington and Utah to expand access to Advanced Placement coursework. Over the past six years, he has worked alongside school and district leaders to grow AP... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Meeting Room # 4

WE-BAM

11:00am PDT

Ideas for a Student Ran Enterprise

Sunday August 2, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Meeting Room # 4

A student-run enterprise is a business or operational project created, managed, and operated by students as part of their education. It functions as a real-world business within a school or community setting, allowing students to apply classroom learning to practical, hands-on scenarios. I will highlight successful programs and give ideas to how to start your own.

Artists

Andrew Hill

President, Northwest Technical Products Inc

After graduating from the University of Washington with a BS in Mechanical Engineering I was employed by Northwest Technical Products as the field service technician in 1996. In 2011 I took over ownership. In the last 29 years I have worked with all aspects of skills based training... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Meeting Room # 4

WE-BAM

1:00pm PDT

Professionalizing AI Use in the Classroom: From Prompts to Workflows

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Meeting Room # 4

You've used Claude or ChatGPT. Now build systems. This hands-on workshop takes you from "asking questions" to "building repeatable workflows" that actually save time and respect student privacy. We'll work through three real scenarios: structuring effective prompts through role and context, using Projects to maintain consistency, anonymizing student data safely, and automating common tasks like grading and report generation. Bring a laptop and a Claude or ChatGPT account - you'll leave with working code templates and configured tools you can use immediately in your classroom.

Speakers

Eric Ogden

CTE Computer Science Teacher, Hanford High School

Eric is a second-year CS teacher at Hanford High School in Richland, WA, where he teaches AP Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Video Game Design, and coaches a FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team. Before the classroom, he spent over twelve years as a software engineer writing JavaScript... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Meeting Room # 4

Multiple Sections

3:00pm PDT

Future‑Ready STEM Starts Here: Why PLTW Leads the Way

Sunday August 2, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Meeting Room # 4

Collaborate and learn why Project Lead The Way remains the top choice for engaging students in STEM through engineering, biomedical science, and computer science pathways. Explore new courses—Advanced Manufacturing, Building for the Future & Skilled Trades, and Principles of AI. Discover how PLTW prepares students with industry credentials and college credit opportunities. Hear from WA PLTW teachers and CTE Directors and learn about grants to launch or expand programs. Let’s build future‑ready STEM pathways that actually stick!

Speakers

Diane Lashinsky

Director of School Success, Project Lead The Way

Diane Lashinsky is the PLTW Director of School Success in WA State. Diane has 30-years of experience in K-12 education as a teacher and administrator and has been working with Project Lead The Way for 10 years. Her primary role is to advise and support WA school districts and... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Meeting Room # 4

WITEA, STEM