(L to R): Jaclyn Mackey, CESA 11 Educational Consultant; Nic Been, Unity High School principal; Jake Lee, Unity technology teacher; Sierra Swanson, Unity business teacher; Dr. Jill Underly, Wisconsin State Superintendent of Education; Lisa Jagielo, Unity agriculture teacher; Zachary Fugate, Unity School District superintendent. – Photo provided
Submitted by Amanda Warner
BALSAM LAKE – Every February, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction celebrates Career and Technical Education. As an annual tradition, DPI staff visit and highlight school districts throughout the state that have outstanding CTE programs. February is Career and Technical Education Month, and it’s the perfect time to recognize the transformative impact CTE programs have on Wisconsin students.
This year, Unity School District was selected as one of those districts. Staff from Unity welcomed a distinguished group of visitors from the Wisconsin DPI for a comprehensive tour of the CTE programs on Friday, Feb. 14. The delegation included State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly, Josh Robinson, assistant state superintendent for the Division of Academic Excellence, and Meri Annin, visual communications lead designer for the Education Information Services Team.
The visit featured a detailed look at the innovative hands-on learning opportunities provided to Unity students through CTE programming and instruction.
The day’s program began with a warm welcome by Superintendent Zachary Fugate, followed by introductions from Principal Nic Been. Underly and the DPI team were then escorted to the district’s CTE areas for a series of informative tours showcasing Unity’s diverse academic offerings.
Business education tour: FBLA and “Eagle Pride” school store
The first stop was Unity’s business education department, where Ms. Sierra Swanson, business education teacher, and the Future Business Leaders of America members provided an overview of the school’s thriving business curriculum. Students Brooklyn K. and Jenna B. led the tour of the “Eagle Pride” school store, where attendees had the chance to see firsthand how students engage in real-world business practices.
The tour continued to the business education classroom, where FBLA members Addison M. and Madison A. highlighted several key stations, showcasing the school’s business courses, including personal finance, yearbook, marketing and event planning. Madison W. introduced the FBLA Event Showcase, featuring student presentations from Lizzy J., Madelyn S. and Isaiah F., who shared some of their submitted project proposals.
Tech ed tour: SkillsUSA and shop projects
The next stop was the tech ed woods classroom, led by instructor Jake Lee and SkillsUSA students James Zitelman, Hunter Carlson. They discussed the hands-on projects students complete, including those featured during SkillsUSA Week. Dr. Underly and her team had the opportunity to view various woodshop projects and meet students working on projects in the home and auto areas.
Agriculture education tour: FFA and Lettuce Fork Farms
The agricultural education portion of the tour took place with instructor Lisa Jagielo and a group of passionate students. The team provided attendees with a comprehensive look at the agriculture program, including a classroom overview by Sam Majeske; FFA Chapter Highlights presented by Chloe Bengston and Markus Majeske; and a Student Agricultural Experience (SAE) example by Jadyn Thaemert and Hunter Carlson.
The group then visited the Unity Greenhouse, where student employee Launa Daniels provided a tour of the Farm 2 School initiative, and Katelynn Duxbury shared insights into the Lettuce Fork Farms project, which provides fresh produce for the school cafeteria.
Maker Space tour: Creativity in action
After the agriculture tour, the group moved to the Maker Space, where Ashley Lee highlighted the collaborative efforts between the tech ed program and students actively engaged in working with machines. The tour offered a glimpse into how students apply technical skills in real-world creative projects.
Closing remarks: Reflections on the visit
The visit concluded with closing remarks at the district fofice, where Superintendent Fugate and other Unity staff members reflected on the success of the event and expressed their gratitude to Dr. Underly and the DPI team for their interest in Unity’s innovative educational offerings. This tour served as an excellent opportunity to showcase Unity’s commitment to preparing students for success through diverse and engaging career-focused programs.
