This session highlights a proven, strategic model for expanding access to high-quality Maritime Career and Technical Education (CTE) experiences for underrepresented youth. Through the “Equity at Sea” program at Sound Experience, students engage in immersive, hands-on maritime learning that integrates STEM, environmental science, and workforce development aboard the historic schooner Adventuress.Participants will explore how strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, workforce agencies, and schools can reduce barriers to participation and create meaningful pathways into maritime and environmental careers. This session will provide practical strategies for designing inclusive Maritime CTE programs, building sustainable partnerships, and aligning experiential learning with High School and Beyond Plans.Attendees will leave with actionable frameworks to replicate similar access-driven, maritime career-connected learning opportunities.
Learn how to leverage both free and paid AI tools to move from a blank framework to a fully developed, standards-aligned CTE framework with greater speed, consistency, and confidence. This hands-on session shares real prompts, workflows, and strategies for framework writing, pathway alignment, curriculum development, and program planning while maintaining alignment to state standards and workforce needs. These same strategies have also supported grant writing and program expansion efforts. Be sure to bring a device for guided, real-time application.
In this hands-on session, participants will explore how cardboard arcade projects can spark creativity, collaboration, engineering thinking, and student engagement in STEM and CTE classrooms. Attendees will learn strategies for launching and managing a cardboard arcade design challenge, explore student examples and classroom resources, and participate in a mini cardboard design activity using simple materials and Makedo tools. Participants will leave with adaptable ideas and resources ready for classroom use.
Teaching and parenting often feel like juggling with fire, and then someone throws in a Chromebook! In this interactive session, explore the real-life challenges and hidden superpowers of being both an educator and a parent. Drawing on 20 years in education as a teacher, coach, and facilitator, and 12 years as a mom of three, I’ll share my “Teacher-Mom (Parent) Toolbelt,” a collection of strategies, reflections, and tech hacks that have helped me navigate teaching, leadership, graduate school, and life at home. Participants will discover practical, ready-to-implement tools for managing time, energy, and communication across school and home. We will explore tech hacks like digital organization shortcuts, time-blocking strategies, and simple routines that save time and energy. Leave with a personalized toolbelt of resources, reflective prompts for ongoing growth, and strategies you can use tomorrow to bring a little more joy and balance to your life.Learning outcome 1: Identify personal strengths and "superpowers" gained from being both an educator and a parent.Learning outcome 2: Identify practical strategies and tools to help streamline time management and reduce their mental load.Learning outcome 3: Create a personalized "Teacher-Parent Toolbelt" with actionable strategies and reflective prompts to support ongoing growth and well-being.
This session explores the impact of choice in vocational retraining on the motivation and well-being of injured workers who are forced to switch careers due to a workplace injury. Research conducted on the subject will be presented along with the findings. The results and data will then be generalized to what role choice can have in the motivation and well-being of students with Washington state Career and Technical Education programs, and how this consideration can be used in future curriculum and program planning.
