FARMINGTON -- Farmington High School's career and technical education program provides students with 25 career opportunities, either through courses at the high school, Northwest Arkansas Community College or Northwest Technical Institute.
Starlinda Sanders, career and technical technical coordinator for Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Farmington, said she sees career and technical education as providing options and opportunities for students.
While Farmington has seven major career and technical education programs at the high school, embedded within those programs are multiple career opportunities, Sanders said.
Farmington High School staff, teachers and students highlighted the school's career and technical education programs and courses Feb. 14 during a showcase held for the public.
The school's first showcase opened in the Performing Arts Center with Superintendent Jon Laffoon and principal Jon Purifoy addressing people in the auditorium. Those attending were mainly Farmington school administrators; School Board members; some members of the public, including Mayor Ernie Penn; and others representing career and technical education on the regional and state level.
Sanders noted that Farmington offers 11 career pathways on site, including business management, television production, computer science, cybersecurity, child care and nutrition, agriculture and marketing.
The high school partners with the community college to offer seven additional career programs, including certification as a nursing assistant. Students also can participate in classes at Northwest Technical Institute that include certifications in HVAC and welding.
All these classes, Sanders said, are giving Farmington students a leg up and the "very best options and opportunities" as they plan for the future.
Sunny Teale, who is with the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Career and Technical Education, said Farmington is preparing its students with life skills, soft skills and content knowledge.
"Farmington is doing an incredible job," Teale said. "It is helping kids to figure out if this career is for them or not for them."
Laffoon said Farmington's career and technical education classes provide transformative learning experiences for students in grades 7-12.
"The curriculum provides an engaging hands-on environment and empowers students to develop knowledge that is in demand in the workforce and the skills they need to thrive," Laffoon said.
Farmington's current career and technical education programs are computer science, engineering, biomedical science, agriculture, business, AV technology and communication, and family consumer science.
Farmington High School also has career pathways through Project Lead the Way: preengineering, biomedical and computer science.
Farmington strives, Laffoon said, to increase graduation rates of career and technical education students, provide students with soft skills and employable training, increase the number of students who hold industry certifications and prepare students for career and college success.
"CTE equips our students with the confidence to pursue their dreams," Laffoon said.
Purifoy said he started what he calls the "7 secrets of our successful school" when he came to Farmington nine years ago.
These secrets include building strong relationships; high expectations for continuous growth; a guaranteed, viable written curriculum; goal-setting action plans with coaching; collaborative planning in teams; monitoring; and data-driven decisions and common assessments.
"That's what we strive for," Purifoy said. "Our teachers know this."
He listed all the teachers involved in career and technical education but also highlighted that, along with teaching the courses, these teachers also are involved in other ways with the school.
For 2021-22, the high school had 319 students who received certifications in different career and technical education programs and 48 students as "completers," which means they finished all the courses for one pathway over a three-year period.
"That's a fourth of our students, a pretty amazing accomplishment," Purifoy said.
Career and technical education enrollment declined during the covid years, but he said it's back on the rise. In addition, courses may change each year because the school polls its students and provides courses they want to take.
Following the first part of the showcase, participants were divided into groups and toured the different classrooms to find out more about the programs. Students in each of those programs gave presentations on what they were learning and how it was helping them for the future.
Farmington student Kylee Wilbanks talks Feb. 14 about the marketing and fashion merchandising classes that are offered as part of the school's career and technical education program. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter)
Luke Flanagan (left) and Cade Cox, both seniors at Farmington, talk Feb. 14 about courses offered in engineering, robotics and computer integrated manufacturing. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter)
Students in broadcasting work Feb. 14 on the school's daily newscast shown throughout the school. Students are in charge of the complete production. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter)
Retired Farmington High School teacher Carol Bundsgaard and her husband, Rich, were part of a group touring the high school Feb. 14 to find out more about the school's career and technical education program. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter)More News
NoneAbout the educators
Career and technical education teachers at Farmington High School and the classes they teach:
Jed Beall — introduction to engineering, principles of engineering, robotics, computer integrated manufacturing.
Leah Bunch — life and fitness, child care, food and nutrition, lifespan development.
Mandi Collyar — management, retail business, computerized accounting I, computerized business application.
Brian Dean — fundamentals of TV, digital photography, intermediate advanced TV, fundamentals of A/V tech.
John Long — computer science essentials, cybersecurity.
Seth Jones — agriculture structures, agriculture metals, agriculture mechanics, advanced agriculture mechanics.
Clayton Sallee — poultry science, animal science, advanced animal science.
Mallory Noggle — medical interventions, environmental science, human body systems.
Carrie Scates — personal finance, marketing I and II, fashion merchandising, internship.