King Muhammad, a rising 12th grader at Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School, picks up a mini home construction model with subfloor, insulation, arches and sheathing. The model, which Muhammad created with classmate Lania Lake, also a rising 12th grader, is one of many projects he’s completed as a student at the 320-student District of Columbia public school, according to an article in K-12 Dive. For the past three years, he’s learned STEM skills and how that knowledge relates to careers in civil and mechanical engineering.
He and a handful of other rising seniors say their lessons and projects have expanded their awareness of how their modern career and technical education studies relate to family members’ well-honed and more traditional professions.
Olatundun Teyibo, director of the NAF engineering and IT academies at Phelps, says the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program exposes students to various career paths, including learning about different jobs that they are and are not interested in — either through their studies, hands-on applications of what they’ve learned, or from professionals in that field.
While the students say they have enjoyed their studies and have a growing appreciation of the connections between professions in their families and modern careers, the work has been difficult at times.
“You miss one thing, and you could fall way behind,” says student Bryce Simmons.
Student De’Arra Parkinson says that while engineering studies are challenging, they’ve helped with preparing for physics classes and honing comprehension skills.
For the next school year, the students are preparing for their capstone projects, which are lengthy in-depth studies about their passions. Among the topics being considered are aerospace, cooking, music and blacksmithing.
The students credit the school’s pre-engineering teacher Teresa Broadnax for creating study packets and fun review games, as well as providing snacks and study support.
“She’ll repeat a lesson, too, if the students really don’t know,” says Simmons. “She really makes sure you got everything you need.”
K-12 Dive
