153 students in inaugural CTE programs at Apache Junction High School
A total of 153 students are in on-campus career and technical education classes, while 108 attend classes at East Valley Institute of Technology.
Metro Connection
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Jeffery Cox
AJUSD
We have a ton of kids who go to EVIT but our goal is to have many programs on the campus and build our campus so our kids have that opportunity here in the community and then go out into that community and see it pay off.”
More than 150 students are taking career and technical education classes at Apache Junction High School in culinary, construction, graphic design and marketing programs that started this year.
“We’re going to grow, we’re going to get bigger. It’s going to be pretty exciting,” said Jeffery Cox, director of CTE, during the Oct. 22 meeting of the AJUSD Governing Board.
Cox started working at Apache Junction Unified School District July 1 with the CTE programs for the 2024-25 school year at AJHS, 2525 S. Ironwood Drive.
A total of 153 students are in on-campus CTE classes, while 108 attend classes at East Valley Institute of Technology, Cox said in a CTE update during the meeting.
EVIT offers 50 career training programs for Phoenix-area adults and high school students who reside in 11 East Valley school districts — Apache Junction, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Higley, J.O. Combs, Mesa, Queen Creek, Tempe and Scottsdale.
EVIT has two Mesa sites where students are bused from their home schools — EVIT Power Campus, 6625 S. Power Road; and the main campus, 1601 W. Main St.
“We have a ton of kids who go to EVIT but our goal is to have many programs on the campus and build our campus so our kids have that opportunity here in the community and then go out into that community and see it pay off,” Cox said. “EVIT has great programs as well, and we need that and our kids will continue to go to them but our goal is to really house our kids on our campus.”
Future CTE classes planned at Apache Junction High School include welding, sports medicine, early childhood education, stagecraft and agricultural science, according to a flyer in the board packet.
“These are program that we may not necessarily start next year, but it’s a plan in place,” Cox told the board. “My hope is two of these at least that we’re going to have going and started for next year, ready to go. Perhaps more, but that’s the big plan. After next year we’ll add more.”
Board member Bobby Bauders, a class of 2017 AJHS graduate, recalled having more than 10 CTE options when he attended high school.
“I just love to see how our CTE is growing,” he said.
Cox said he would like to have 10 or more CTE programs in a couple years.
“In three years, four years I’d love to see 10, 12. The future is bright and we have unlimited space,” he said. “It’s just getting those kids.”
It’s important to offer students a chance to learn a trade, Board Member Gail Ross said.
“I’m really thrilled about the CTE. I know that there’s so much opportunity for the students, so that they have a place that doesn’t require college,” she said.
AJUSD has three elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school. The district is from Meridian Road on the west to the town of Queen Valley on the east and from the Goldfield Mountains to the north, south into the San Tan Corridor. Communities served include Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Peralta Trail, Queen Valley and unincorporated Pinal County land in-between.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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