by Melanie Jongsma
LANSING, Ill. (January 21, 2022) – “I just left TF North, and I was overwhelmed with joy seeing so much interest in the programs by our students,” wrote Dr. Sophia Jones-Redmond in an email to The Lansing Journal on Thursday, January 20. She had attended Thursday’s CTE Showcase at North and reached out to invite us to the TF South version that would take place on Friday. “The media should witness what I am seeing,” she said.
It was just this past summer that District 215 established a new Career Development Department to offer TF South and TF North students hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of fields. Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses are available to juniors and seniors, and several of the programs equip students with the licensing or certification they need to be employable immediately upon graduation.
The CTE Showcase was designed to make current sophomores aware of the program and entice them to enroll. Teachers as well as current CTE students set up tables, trade-show style, to answer questions about careers in fields such as engineering, automotive technology, graphic design, construction, business, child care, culinary arts, and teaching.
Barbering and cosmetology are among the most sought-after CTE programs of study, with dozens of sophomores expressing interest in a class that is limited to 10 or 11 students. The Lansing Journal responded to Dr. Jones-Redmond’s invitation, and we were on site at the CTE Showcase at TF South, where we learned some of the reasons the program is so popular.
More information about the Career Development Program is available from the following sources:
- Email Dr. Sophia Jones-Redmond, Superintendent ([email protected])
- Email John Robinzine, Assistant Superintendent of Career Development ([email protected])
- Visit the District 215 CTE web page (tfd215.org/departments/career-development)
The District 215 administrative office is located at 18601 Torrence Avenue in Lansing, Illinois.
The members of the Board of Education are very excited about all of the new CTE opportunities we are offering to our students. We have had numerous CTE programs for many years. But, the recent development of a CTE department, led by Assistant Superintendent Robinzine, has increased the quantity and the quality of our programs. We have many outstanding programs for college bound and non-college bound students.
Thank you very much for your excellent story.