Shirts and Padfolios Are Available

California ACTE has available for purchase CACTE polo shirts in all sizes for $25 and Padfolios for $20. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt or padfolio, please contact Ross Arnold.

CACTE Teacher of the Year for 2012-2013

CACTE Newsletter – by Diane Walker, CACTE Pres.-Elect

CACTE is pleased to announce that Robin Olsen, an agriculture teacher and Coordinator of the Agriculture and Environmental Science Academy at Littlerock High School in the Antelope Valley Union High School District, has been selected as the CACTE 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year. 

Robin, who has been with the AVUHSD for fourteen years, works with students in FFA through local, state, regional, and national activities and competitions, as well as being active in the community with organizations such as the Mojave Environmental Education Consortium, which named her their Teacher of the Year in 2011. Robin has been a finalist for the California State FFA Agriscience Teacher of the Year, and was named a Teacher of Excellence by the California Agriculture Teachers in recognition of her efforts.  For the 2012 year, Robin was selected as a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador, attending the NAATA Academy at DuPont Chesapeake Farms in Chestertown, Maryland.  Most recently, in association with her role, she presented in conjunction with ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia as part of the National Association of Agricultural Educators conference.  She has also been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor and Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Please join us in congratulating Robin Olsen on this accomplishment. Her dossier will be forwarded to the ACTE Region V Awards Committee for consideration of regional recognition.

Annual Meeting

Each year California ACTE holds its annual meeting at the Educating for Careers Conference.  This year the meeting will take place on Monday, March 11, 2013 at the Sacramento Convention Center in Room 105 at 10:15 to 11:30 AM.  At this meeting we will be voting on the proposed changes to the Bylaws and opening nominations for 2013-14 officers.  The proposed changes to the Bylaws maybe found here. Post Cards will be going out soon to remind our members about this annual meeting.

We need to share with you that the CACTE Board has decided to discontinue sending out notices and materials through the US Mail. The cost of mailing notices has gone up again and it is hard to justify this expense when utilizing the Internet is free. If you do not have not access to the Internet and must continue to receive hard copies of notices and materials through the US Mail, please contact Ross Arnold, the Executive Director. The last item that will be printed and sent out is the ballot for the elections of the 2013-14 officers. This announcement only refers to notices and printed materials from California ACTE not ACTE who will continue to operate as before.

Fallbrook High team’s tortilla soup is a winner

The Fallbrook team's prize-winning tortilla soup
Written by
Chris Ross

I was one of five judges recently for The Soup Bowl Invitational, a culinary arts competition of the North County Regional Occupational Program (ROP).
The competing teams were from ROP programs at four schools: Vista, Fallbrook and Mission Hills high schools and San Dieguito Academy.
As judges, we were asked to watch the students prepare their entries, ask them questions, and rate them on their ability to discuss the recipe and cooking methods, their sanitation and safety precautions, organization and timing, as well as the quality of the soup itself.
I was very impressed with all the teams and the way they interacted and collaborated. This was a very polite, confident and hardworking group of young people. The competing soups were two different recipes for tortilla soup, a shrimp bisque and a creamy pumpkin soup.
The team that wowed us on all counts was the one from Fallbrook — Austin Jenkins, Mason Munari, Ryder Rogers, John Duong and Steven Casillas.
They managed to be cheerful and chatty at the same time they were highly organized. And the tortilla soup they created was delicious — served piping hot, full of spicy flavors and beautifully presented. For their efforts, the Fallbrook team took home a silver ladle trophy.
Here’s the recipe for the team’s prize-winning soup.

Fallbrook High Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes about 20 servings
3 (5-ounce) boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 each red, green and yellow bell peppers, medium diced
1 yellow onion, medium diced
1/2 red onion, small diced
2 serrano chilies, seeded, ribbed and minced
3 medium zucchini, medium diced
1 1/2 quarts water
1/4 cup chicken base
1 large can (46 ounces) tomato juice
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro; divided use
1/2 cup chili powder
1/2 cup cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
4 tomatoes, medium diced
1/4 cup cornstarch (mixed with 1/2 cup cold water)
1½ pints (24 ounces) of frozen corn
For garnish:
8-10 corn tortillas, cut into long strips
½ cup vegetable oil, to fry tortilla strips
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese grated
1 avocado, cut into thin wedges
Chopped cilantro

Poach chicken: In a medium saucepan, cover chicken breasts with salted water; heat and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken and shred. Set aside.
Sauté veggies: Mix garlic powder together with butter. In a large sauté pan, melt garlic butter and sauté diced bell peppers, onions and serrano chilies until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Make soup: Meanwhile, heat 1½ quarts water and chicken base in large soup pot. Add shredded chicken. Next, add tomato juice, lime juice, half of chopped cilantro (reserving other half for garnish), spices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Stir in sautéed veggies, diced green chilies and tomatoes. Allow soup to return to a boil.
Reduce heat and stir in cornstarch mixture and stir continuously. Add corn and continue to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add seasonings to taste.

Fry tortilla strips: While soup is cooking, heat 1/2 cup oil in small sauté pan. When oil is hot, fry tortilla strips in batches, just until crisp. Put fried strips onto paper towels until ready to serve.
To serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top each bowl with grated cheese, a pinch of cilantro, tortilla strips and a slice of avocado.

It's CTE Month 2013 in February! Celebrate with the 2013 theme, Career and Technical Education Works!

This year, ACTE has moved to a new, permanent CTE Month logo. The theme will continue to change year-to-year to reflect the current trends and issues relating to CTE. A new CTE Month Promotional Poster Design Contest for CTE students was held in late October to select a CTE Month promotional poster that teachers and students could use in their schools and classrooms to publicize CTE Month. You could copy and print the logo above to promote CTE. Please complete this form about your usage of the 2013 CTE Month logo and return it to Online Communications Manager, attention Jon Miller. Logo use and restriction agreement.   

Here are some CTE Month Products to help your celebration. ACTE offers you the opportunity to purchase promotional items that showcase the 2013 CTE Month logo, including pencils, pens, stickers, highlighters, balloons, sticky notes and mouse pads that double as notepads.

Here are some resources to help you celebrate CTE Month:
• Tell your CTE stories through traditional media with our press kit starter and sample press release.
• Spread the word on social networks all month and especially during CTE Social Media Advocacy Day on Feb. 23.
• Encourage students to submit video PSAs on CTE to the PSA Contest next fall!
• Read about 2013 CTE Month activities across the country and view CTE Month news coverage links.
• Tell us about your 2013 CTE Month national and local events.
• Involve legislators and businesses.
 

Here is one last item we recommend you use. Below is a sample Board Resolution. Please ask you Board to declare February CTE Month. You may change the resolution any way you wish to meet your needs.
 

Sample Proclamation/Resolution

WHEREAS: February, has been designated Career and Technical Education month by the Association for Career and Technical Education; and

WHEREAS: Profound economic and technological changes in our society are rapidly reflected in the structure and nature of work, thereby placing new and additional responsibilities on our educational system; and

WHEREAS: Career and technical education provides Americans with a school-to-career connection and is the backbone of a strong, well-educated workforce, which fosters productivity in business and industry and contributes to America’s leadership in the international marketplace; and

WHEREAS: Career and technical education gives high school students experience in practical, meaningful applications of basic skills such as reading, writing and mathematics, thus improving the quality of their education, motivating potential dropouts and giving all students leadership opportunities in their fields and in their communities; and

WHEREAS: Career and technical education offers individuals lifelong opportunities to learn new skills, which provide them with career choices and potential satisfaction; and

WHEREAS: The ever-increasing cooperative efforts of career and technical educators, business and industry stimulate the growth and vitality of our local economy and that of the entire nation by preparing graduates for career fields forecast to experience the largest and fastest growth in the next decade;

NOW THEREFORE, I, (_______________, _________________) of ______________
                                     name                     title            school district/city/county
do hereby proclaim February as Career and Technical Education Month
in _______________ and urge all citizens to become familiar with the services and
(school district/city/county) benefits offered by the career and technical education programs in this community and to support and participate in these programs to enhance their individual work skills and productivity.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the (school district, city/county) of ________________ this _______________ day of ________________ 2013