MISD CTE Tours Help 8th Graders Chart a Course for High School and Beyond

McKinney, Texas – As McKinney ISD’s 8th graders from Cockrill, Dowell, Evans, Faubion and Scott Johnson look ahead to the 2024–2025 school year and their arrival at McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney High School or McKinney North High School, MISD provided an opportunity for them to begin charting the pathway for their high school coursework and future careers through its annual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Tours, held at the MISD Community Event Center on Nov. 6–7 and Nov. 10.

“What we’re doing is introducing all of our 8th grade students across McKinney ISD to the Career and Technical Education programs that we run here in the district that give them a chance to earn certifications for employment after high school,” said Senior Director of CTE and AVID Todd Young. “This is day one, and so far it has been going really well. The kids are getting a lot of information, and for these 8th graders, this is good exposure to all that we offer in McKinney ISD.”

Click here to visit the MISD Career and Technical Education page.

student using aviation simulator while another student teaches how to use it
McKinney ISD Aviation

The CTE Tours highlight an MISD CTE program that offers 16 career pathways in 11 clusters for students to consider. Those pathways lead to 30 possible state-approved certifications that students can earn and put to use as they pursue careers after graduation.

At the various booths set up throughout the CEC meeting rooms, 8th graders met MISD high school students in scrubs, welding helmets and uniforms, serving as educators and ambassadors for their particular career discipline.

McKinney ISD Audio Video Production

Some 8th graders found themselves, or at least their images, floating in a cosmic vista during the green screen demonstration offered by video production students, while others found themselves at the controls of a virtual airplane hurtling wildly through a blue, pixel sky in the flight simulator booth.

Most importantly, the tour opened up avenues of opportunity for MISD’s 8th graders, a chance to catch a vision of a meaningful career after graduation—and a pathway to get there.

Click here to visit the MISD Career and Technical Education page.

McKinney ISD Agriculture