The Charger Online School Newspaper

CDHS Celebrates CTE Month in February

Article By:  D’Lee Pollock, Jesus Rojas, Tayvin Sexton, and Sean Rayon

February is CTE Month!  CTE stands for Career and Technical Education, and these classes are critical for students to learn job skills and career pathways.  Chuckey-Doak High School proudly offers over 17 programs of study in CTE, some of which have just been added this school year.  In order to prepare for all of the new CTE programs, our Board of Education is currently building an addition to CDHS that will house many of our new CTE programs.  Some of our programs existed off campus, and all of our CTE programs except for JROTC are moving on campus once the addition is complete.  

Our previous on campus CTE programs included:  AgriScience with FFA, Architecture and Engineering, Computer Coding with Robot Drone League, AV Production with BK Media, Digital Arts & Design with BK Media, Human Services with FCCLA, Marketing and Management with BK Customs and FBLA, and Health Science with HOSA.  Our previous off campus CTE programs included:  JROTC with Flag Detail, Masonry, Construction, Welding, Nursing with HOSA, and Cosmetology.  Our new CTE programs for this school year include:  Industrial Maintenance, Emergency Medical Response with HOSA, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), and Automotive.  In just a few weeks, almost all of our CTE programs will be taught here on our Chuckey-Doak High School campus!  

AgriScience with FFA

Our AgriScience program is the largest CTE program for CDHS with over 200 members in FFA.  Within AgriScience, we offer three specific programs:  AgriBusiness, Animal Science, and Horticulture.  All of our ag classes are taught by Mr. Chase Murray and Mr. Larkin Clemmer, who also sponsors FFA.  CDHS has one of the most successful FFA chapters in Northeast Tennessee.  This year alone, our FFA chapter has won awards, including State Runner-Up in Dairy Evaluation, Regional Star for Ag Business, Regional Parliamentary Procedure Winner, and Regional Ag Sales Runner-Up.  In addition to the group awards, many individuals have also placed in individual competitions for FFA.  One of our students was even featured in the National FFA Magazine New Horizons for his Supervised Agricultural Experience, which was the first in school history.   

AV Production and Digital Arts & Design with BK Media

Our second largest CTE student organization is BK Media.  Our media students can choose to study a combination of media classes in AV Production and Digital Arts & Design.  AV Production with Coach Hensley is focused on audio and video technology and includes television-style broadcasting and podcast recording.  Digital Arts & Design with Ms. Pollock teaches students graphic design, social media marketing, vlogging, photography, videography, and print publications.  BK Media students are responsible for producing The Black Knight News Television Network, The Charger News Vlog, and The Accolade Yearbook, in addition to many other media products for Chuckey-Doak High School.  Our media students are award-winning members of the Tennessee High School Press Association.  THSPA has already announced that our literary arts magazine Armor & Ink is on the short list for the top three in the state; our yearbook is on its way to winning a gold medal for the second year in a row from the National Yearbook Committee; we also won a national award last year for feature photography from the National Scholastic Press Association.

Human Services with FCCLA

The human services pathway prepares students for careers and life skills that center around family, personal, and child development.  Students take a series of three classes:  Introduction to Human Services, Family Studies, and Lifespan Development.  They learn the process of the physical and psychological growth of humans and how to care for humans of all ages.  One of the students’ favorite parts of this program is the cooking lessons, which are similar to the former Home Economics lessons.  In the final class, students learn to be parents and use robotic babies to practice infant care.  This program of study is supported by the FCCLA student organization; FCCLA stands for Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America.  This program and club is led by Mrs. Laura Guay.

Architecture & Engineering and Computer Science & Coding with Robot Drone League

Two of this year’s most successful CTE programs are taught by Mr. Matt Dalton.  Both of Mr. Dalton’s programs are STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and we have several students who complete both programs of study as they are extremely helpful for students who want to pursue careers in engineering and technology.  Each program also has their own extracurricular opportunity for students.  The CDHS Architecture and Engineering Team competes in the annual Cardboard Boat Race; engineering students from around the county build boats from cardboard, tape, and adhesives that they race at the Greene County YMCA pool.  This year’s team won 1st place for the second time in a row.  The Robot Drone League is a coding-based CTE-club that builds, codes, and controls robots who compete against other schools’ robots in team-style competitions; this year’s RDL team was the first CDHS team to win 1st place at Regionals; they will be headed to Nationals soon.

Marketing and Management with FBLA and BK Customs

Our business program is called Marketing and Management, and it is taught by Mrs. Faith House.  Students take a series of three classes: Introduction to Business, Marketing I, and Marketing II.  This pathway is for students who want to work in large corporations and small locally owned businesses, and it teaches them the skills used in both worlds.  Students in the advanced level courses run BK Customs, a t-shirt factory that produces some of our own Chuckey-Doak merchandise for some of our clubs and sports teams.  Business students can also participate in the national business-focused CTE club called FBLA, Future Business Leaders of America.  Entrepreneurship is the core of this pathway.

Health Science, Emergency Medical Response, and Nursing with HOSA

CDHS has many students interested in careers based in the medical field, and we offer two programs of study on campus to help them find their passion.  Emergency Medical Response (EMR), taught by Mr. Wesley Miller, is for students who want to be first responders like EMTs, firefighters, and rescue squad members.  They learn how to react to medical crises on the scene of a trauma event.  The nursing program, taught by Mrs. Kelly Coulston, is for students who want to be nurses or doctors and work at a hospital, doctor’s office, or urgent care facility.  Students who complete the nursing pathway may also become CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistant).  Both of these programs offer advanced medical field technology such as our new anatomy table, staged clinicals, and other healthcare devices.    These programs also offer the Anatomy and Physiology elective.  

Cosmetology

The cosmetology field includes the care and styling of hair, nails, and face; CDHS’ cosmetology program is taught by licensed cosmetologist Mrs. Jamy Swinney.  Students earn hours towards their cosmetology license by participating in this program.  In the first course, students learn basic skills for hair and nail care in the first class, including braiding, sectioning, hair tinsel, French tips, and nail extension basics.  In Cosmetology II, students have more nailcare lessons, roller sets for hair, and hair styling.  The third course focuses on advanced skills in hair color and makeup.  Our cosmetology students participated in SkillsUSA for the first time this year, and they will return next year with even more skills to show off.

Automotive, Industrial Maintenance, Masonry, Construction, HVAC, and Welding

Most of these programs of study are new to CDHS students, although some of them were offered at GTC previously.  Automotive is taught by Mr. Josh Fillers and focuses on engine repair and maintenance.  Mr. Johnny Franklin teaches the Industrial Maintenance pathway, and it teaches students electrical skills, machine care and repair, and factory organization.  Masonry is using different types of blocks and bricks to create buildings and landscaping features; this pathway is taught by Mr. Greg Davis.  Our Construction pathway features long-time veteran teacher Mr. Woody Kahley, who teaches students many different woodworking and building skills.  Mr. Tristan Coakley, former GCS HVAC technician, teaches the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning pathway for students to learn the skills to work in the HVAC industry.  Finally, our welding program teaches students the skills they need to be successful in a welding career; these classes are taught by Mr. Chris Hill.

Military Science with JROTC and Flag Detail

Our only CTE program that will not be on campus is JROTC and Military Science.  Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Hicks and Master Sergeant Curtis Brown teach students from all four county high schools as they prepare for careers in the military.  Our JROTC program is Air Force-based, but students can join any branch of the military, knowing they are prepared.  In JROTC, students learn drill and ceremony, retiring colors, and leadership skills.  They participate in Raiders Competitions, D&C Events, and LandNav exercises.  Students prepare to join the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force after their JROTC experience.  Students who participate in two or more years of JROTC are given automatic rank bonuses upon enlistment in a United States military branch, except for the Marines.   

Chuckey-Doak is so excited about all of our CTE programs!  Many of our CTE teachers are industry certified in their field, and they bring a vast array of knowledge to our students daily.  Our Black Knights are extremely involved in CTE student organizations, which allow them to practice job skills for their future careers!

Tayvin Sexton (Reels Producer) and Sean Rayon (Vlogger)

Chuckey-Doak High School
365 Ripley Island Rd, Afton, TN
(423) 798-2636