Vol. 39, No. 6

March 8, 2005

State Education Officials Honor 14
"Tech-Prep Students of the Year"

State education officials honored 14 students as "Tech-Prep Students of the Year" in a ceremony March 4 at the Capitol in Jefferson City. The honorees and their schools were:

  • Lee Acre, Hillsboro High School

  • Matthew Bax, Eldon High School

  • Charlie Chapman, Meadville High School

  • Jeremy Clubb, Francis Howell Central High School

  • Amanda Merckling, Silex High School

  • Mallory Mudd, Warrensburg High School

  • Amanda Mueller, Rolla High School

  • Michael Oates, North County High School, Bonne Terre

  • Joel Patrick, Truman High School, Independence

  • Ryan Peterson, Webster Groves High School

  • Thomas Shaddox, Mexico High School

  • Ian Smith, East Newton High School, East Newton County School District

  • Mark Van Every, Central High School, Springfield

  • Cody Zuroweste, North Callaway High School, Kingdom City

Students were selected on the basis of their commitment to career and technical education, academic achievement, involvement in school or community activities, leadership abilities, and their involvement in student organizations related to career and technical education.

"Tech-prep" focuses on both academic and career education to prepare young people for postsecondary training in a technical or career field. All tech-prep students take part in so-called "2+2" programs, in which they take career-oriented classes during 11th and 12th grades, and then move directly into related studies at a community college, a technical school, or an apprenticeship program.

There are 15 regional tech-prep "consortiums" in Missouri, coordinated by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Each consortium involves local high schools, area career and technical centers, community colleges and representatives of business, industry and labor. The groups work to coordinate curriculum, academic standards and policies, and articulation agreements so that students are able to move smoothly from high school into postsecondary studies.