Celebrate CTE Month!

February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, a time to celebrate the important role CTE plays in preparing our students for high-demand careers. We also celebrate the accomplishments of CTE programs and the importance of CTE for all students of all ages. This month, Lex La-Ray will highlight student success stories, share updates on industry partnerships, and offer a glimpse into how CTE is shaping the future of the workforce. Join us in celebrating the power of hands-on learning and career preparation!

Lex La-Ray has launched exciting student activities, promoting CTE awareness and celebrating all the great opportunities that Career and Technical Education provides for our students.

Each week, Career and Technical Student Organizations will host a variety of activities locally and beyond.

Leading the way to employment, continuing education, or enlistment is our mission. We want to hear from you! We invite you to share your CTE Success Story. How did Lex La-Ray impact your future? Visit our socials to join the conversation! Contest Season

Our student organizations have been gearing up for district contests. Students from Lex La-Ray FCCLA Chapter competed in the Region 12 STAR Competition events and Officer Elections on Thursday, January 29th at UCM. These students attend the Early Childhood and Teaching Professions and Culinary Arts Programs. The next step for some of our members is the State Leadership Conference in Springfield, MO on March 15-17.

Contest results:

Baking and Pastry: Keaton Patten – Silver to State; Karmen Lattie – Bronze Career Investigations: Jazmine Lopez-Maravilla – Silver to State; Zoey Minson – Silver; Serenity Crews-Schnittker – Bronze Chapter Service Project Display: Luke Peterson – Bronze Culinary Arts: Trey Perez – Gold to State; Miley Zeller – Gold Focus on Children: Kaitlyn Marrant & Addie Beach – Silver; Danyele Kuntz & Rae’ Ann Arms – Silver Job Interview: Annabella Crosetti Gold to State Professional Presentation: Haylee Marrant, Ava Bozarth, & Lillyanne King Gold to State New Region 12 Officers- Kaitlyn Marrant, Serenity Crews-Schnittker, Luke Peterson SkillsUSA Contests will wrap-up at UCM on Thursday, February 12th. The HOSA competition will be held in March. Those contestants and results will be shared at a later date.

Local Needs Survey

We are excited to offer CTE stakeholders the opportunity to provide valuable input through the Local Needs Survey. We look forward to numerous students, parents, educators, and business members completing the survey before it closes on Friday, March 13, 2026.

This survey supports career centers and high schools that receive federal Perkins funding for Career & Technical Education. Federal law requires grant recipients to engage local stakeholders as part of a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment.

Your feedback will help us understand workforce needs, program alignment, access, and student opportunities.

You can access the survey on our website www.lexr5.org/o/technicalcenter or email ahimbury@lexr5.org for the survey link. We appreciate your input!