CRTC Compass Magazine

  ELOs Help Health Science Students Explore a Variety of Careers Elizabeth Guertin wants to be a dentist. And so while most second year CRTC Health Science students were working toward their LNA license or EMT certification during the last school year, Elizabeth was job shadowing with a number of Concord area dentists. That exposure blossomed into an internship with a local dental practice and enrollment into the pre-dental program at the University of New England. “Thanks to my extended learning opportunity (ELO), I was able to explore the different specialities within the dental field and build a network within the local dental community,” the former Bow High School student said. “I will be applying a year early to dental school, and all the clinical hours and experiences I have from my Health Science ELO will be valid in my application!” Most CRTC Health Science students join the program because they are interested in becoming nurses or working in trauma, said Health Science teacher

  COVID Customized Parent/Guardian Open House Event a Success More than 120 families showed up for the recent CRTC Parent/Guardian Open House to talk to teachers and tour their programs. And while the annual event was modified this year to accommodate COVID precautions, students and families were able to visit classrooms and shop areas, ask questions, and talk with student ambassadors representing each of our 11 Career Pathway programs. “The value of the event was the ability to see the facilities in person and meet the teachers one-on-one,” said CRTC Program Coordinator Kate Amrol. “That’s something we haven’t been able to offer up to now.” To accommodate safe social distancing protocols, the event was broken up into four sessions, with capped attendance for any one session. Families pre-registered for a session, and were required to wear masks. There also was an online Zoom Q&A session set up for those who could not attend in person. The CRTC continues to accept applications for

  T heater & Film Students Enter NH Short Film Competition What do time travel, fortune telling, dystopian futures and a guardian angel have in common? Each is featured in one of the Theater & Film student submissions to this year’s New Hampshire High School Short Film Festival. Twenty CRTC Theater & Film student-produced video submissions will be entered into this year’s statewide competition, sponsored by the New Hampshire Film Bureau. All submissions must be produced solely by the students, who also do the writing, directing, acting, filming and editing. Submission projects can have up to four crew members, and videos can be no longer than seven minutes. “Last year we had one submission, so this year I’ve made submission a requirement for all year two Acting and Production and Design students,” said Clint Klose, Theater & Film teacher. “This is a great opportunity for our students to practice both their artistic and technical skills.” Pembroke Academy senior Madeline

  Health Science Student Wins Statewide Speech Contest CRTC Health Science student Amaya Simmons has won the annual Destination College Speech Contest and a $1,000 college scholarship. Amaya, a Concord High School senior who is working toward her LNA license, wrote her 3-5 minute speech about how her CRTC experiences helped her to define her college pathway and navigate the college admissions process. Amaya also is a class representative for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), an international career and technical student organization (CTSO) that promotes career opportunities in the healthcare industry. “My passions and values include patient advocacy, equality, dignity and justice, which has greatly motivated me to pursue my interests in nursing,” she said in a statement. “I am looking forward to indulging myself in the full college experience this upcoming year.” The contest is sponsored by the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation.

  Guest Speakers Connect to the Criminal Justice Program Every Friday Elizabeth Marino has a thing for horses, and criminal justice. In fact, the Concord High School senior from Deerfield works feeding horses every morning before coming to school to attend her CRTC Criminal Justice classes. Now, thanks in a roundabout way to a recent guest speaker from a Rhode Island university, Elizabeth has found a way to enjoy both her passions with one local work-based learning experience. Starting in April, Elizabeth will be job shadowing with the Manchester Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit. She made this connection indirectly through a Criminal Justice program guest speaker from Johnson & Wales University who talked to students via Zoom about both the university’s renown Criminal Justice program, and, as an aside, about their new Equine program.  “I grew up with a love for horses and inspired by law enforcement’s dedication to protect and serve the community,” Elizabeth said. “So that gu

Grant Program Helps Health Science Students Explore Careers in Orthopedics Twenty-five first year CRTC Health Science students are spending time on the jobsite viewing x-rays of broken bones, watching fiberglass casts being applied, and talking shop with orthopedic doctors, nurses and technicians as part of a workforce development grant program that provides students with a structured exploration of local, in-demand career opportunities. “I had the chance to see a wide range of procedures and practices being performed, which really helped me to get a feel for what an ortho tech does in a day,” Katerina Burke, a Bow High School junior, said about her job shadow experience at Concord Orthopaedics. “The staff was very friendly and very open to questions about this field.” The Orthopedic Technician Career Pathway Program is funded by a $10,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation as part of their Career Pathways Partnership Grants Program . The program is a collaboration bet

  Meet Our Teachers: Tom Mungovan, Graphic Design & Creative Media CRTC programs are a blend of rigorous academics and applied learning that provide students with the opportunity to explore their interests, talents and career ambitions. The lynchpin in these programs is the unique character of the CRTC teacher, who typically has years of industry experience before making the transition to the classroom.  Learn a little more about our Graphic Design & Creative Media teacher, Tom Mungovan, by reading this month’s CRTC Teacher Q & A . How long have you been a Career and Technical Education Teacher? I have taught over 30 different graphic design, illustration, software, color theory and art history classes at the college and high school levels for 20 years now. I've been teaching the Graphic Design program at the CRTC since 2009. What industry experience did you bring into the classroom with you? I’ve worked in the Graphic Design industry for 27 years, twenty of those as ow

From the Director's Desk: Choice Education is Nothing New at The CRTC   Education choice is a hot topic these days, and no matter what side of the argument you come down on, it’s important to remember that students and parents across the Concord region have had access to “choice education” for more than 40 years now, with no cost to families for tuition or transportation.  As a regional Career and Technical Education center, the CRTC serves nine school districts in all or parts of 30 area towns. CRTC students make a choice to apply to one of our 11 Career Pathway programs, and those accepted make a choice to commit to a two-year process that challenges them to invest their time, talents and energies in exploring, planning for and taking action on personalized education and career plans.  One indication that students and families are increasingly embracing CRTC choice education is the fact that as regional high school enrollment dropped by 17% between 2008 and 2020, CRTC enrollment