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2025 ISBE Career Connections Conference
Audience: EFE Directors clear filter
Tuesday, June 17
 

10:20am CDT

Building Rural CTE through Energy & Climate Resilience
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 4
Rural areas around Illinois struggle to grow and sustain strong CTE programs. However, rural schools and communities live in the intersection of key sectors that are critical to the future success of Illinois and the world: energy and the environment. Rural communities are at the frontlines of clean energy production, and are also disproportionately impacted by the changing climate. In this panel discussion, The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools & The Rural IL CTE Project will host Trane, Inc., rural education leaders, and rural CTE educators to discuss how rural schools can utilize energy and the climate to build innovative and robust CTE opportunities for all students.
Speakers
avatar for John Glasgow

John Glasgow

Associate Director, Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
John Glasgow serves as the Program Director for the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools. He leads the Rural IL CTE Project in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education. The Project is a state-wide effort to understand and address the needs and equity gaps... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 4
  Breakout Sessions, CTE for all Students

10:20am CDT

CTE and SEL
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
North Pavilion 3
There is a clear link between CTE and SEL.  The hands-on, active, and “authentic” nature of CTE coursework helps address the social emotional challenges our students face.  Research tells us we retain more learning, relieve stress, and transfer more knowledge over time when CTE incorporates selected SEL routines and activities in our courses.
Speakers
BG

Brian Gordon

Director, TREES
Brian Gordon's decades of experience in both education and business and industry gives him a unique perspective on educational policy and creating a ready workforce. Brian has taught/co-taught grad school classes on a variety of topics and provided professional development throughout... Read More →
MW
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
North Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

10:20am CDT

How to Operate a Student-Run Apparel Decorating Business
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 3
Interested in starting a School Based Enterprise? This session will teach you everything you need to know, start to finish, to begin the operation of an apparel decorating business within your school. Learn about the necessary equipment, vendors, managing the classroom, common problems and their solutions, and more! Content can be used to teach a full year course or can be implemented into a club like FBLA, DECA, FCCLA, etc. Tricia Campbell has implemented this course at two schools and has taught over 400 other educators across the US how to do so in their schools.
Speakers
TC
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

10:20am CDT

Taking Career Readiness to New Heights with Drones
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 6
In this hands-on session, attendees will explore the use of drones as powerful tools for teaching career and technical education (CTE) in fields like agriculture, construction, media, and engineering. Drones provide unique opportunities for students to engage in coding, engineering design, and problem-solving, skills that are directly aligned with career readiness in emerging industries. Through live demonstrations, educators will learn how to incorporate drones into their classrooms, from autonomous flight coding to exploring drone applications in multimedia and other CTE-related fields. Participants will understand key drone terminology, career pathways, and FAA certification requirements. This session will also cover resources and project ideas to get started, ensuring that drones enhance student learning and better prepare them for the workforce. By the end of this session, CTE educators will have practical knowledge on integrating drones into their programs and be equipped with strategies to elevate student engagement and career readiness.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Santos

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, Chicagoland, Learning Technology Center
Eric Santos is a National Board Certified Teacher with expertise in STEM education, AI integration, and curriculum development with a technology focus. Extensive experience keynoting, facilitating workshops, and consulting on AI in education. Proven track record in designing STEM... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
South Pavilion 6
  Breakout Sessions, Instructional Engagement

10:20am CDT

What is SkillsUSA?
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
Bremen
SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens. During this time, we will deliver an overview of SkillsUSA’s history, program elements, and membership benefits to get to the root of how we achieve that mission. Founded as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, SkillsUSA has come a long way since its founding with the support of engaged chapters and advisors; we will find out how.
Speakers
CA

Christopher Anderson

Chief Operating Officer, SkillsUSA Illinois and the Youth Workforce Development Foundation
Christopher Anderson serves as the Chief Operating Officer for both SkillsUSA Illinois, Inc. and the Youth Workforce Development Foundation. In this role, Chris leads efforts to scale organizational impact, drive strategic growth, and foster a performance-driven culture across a dynamic... Read More →
KB

Katie Bye

Director of Member Engagement, SkillsUSA Illinois
Katie Bye serves as the Director of Member Engagement at SkillsUSA Illinois, where she leads efforts to inspire and support over 15,000 members in career and technical education (CTE) across the state. With a strong focus on member engagement, she oversees the development and implementation... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
Bremen
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

12:10pm CDT

AI & the Future of Work: Preparing CTE Students for the New Economy
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
This workshop explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the future of work and equips CTE educators with the knowledge and tools to prepare students for AI-driven careers. Participants will gain an understanding of the current state of AI, future trends, and the evolving career landscape. The session will delve into practical applications of AI in various CTE fields, offering concrete examples and demonstrations of how teachers can integrate AI concepts and tools into their curriculum and daily instruction.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Santos

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, Chicagoland, Learning Technology Center
Eric Santos is a National Board Certified Teacher with expertise in STEM education, AI integration, and curriculum development with a technology focus. Extensive experience keynoting, facilitating workshops, and consulting on AI in education. Proven track record in designing STEM... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

12:10pm CDT

Bridging Skills and Opportunities: Integrating the Seal of Biliteracy within CTE programs
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy, a valuable credential recognizing students’ bilingual skills. We will explore how school districts can integrate students’ bilingual abilities and world language studies into CTE programs. By aligning CTE with bilingualism, districts can create unique opportunities that promote bilingual career pathways, helping students stand out in an increasingly diverse, global, and competitive workforce. This session will highlight the benefits of bilingualism in CTE, offering strategies for administrators to enhance their programs and prepare students for successful, bilingual careers.
Speakers
KS

Karen Skinner

Principal Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education
Karen Skinner is a Principal Consultant with ISBE where she has worked for the past three years to coordinate the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy and assist districts with implementing world language and English learner programs. With a background in Spanish teaching and counseling... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

12:10pm CDT

Building Skills That Add Up: Mathematics Integration in CTE
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 1
Unleash the potential of Career and Technical Education (CTE) by integrating mathematics into your programs. This session will explore the natural alignment between math and CTE disciplines, highlighting how these connections can deepen student understanding and foster real-world applications. Participants will gain practical strategies and implementation tools to incorporate math seamlessly into CTE instruction, making it both accessible and meaningful for students. With a focus on actionable takeaways, this session will provide real examples you can bring directly to your classroom, helping students see the relevance of math in their career pathways. Whether you’re looking to strengthen math integration in your existing curriculum or searching for new ideas, this session offers the support, inspiration, and resources needed to make it happen. Prepare to transform your approach to teaching and empower your students to connect math concepts to their future success! "
Speakers
CS
GF

Gina Fulton

Principal Consultant, ISBE
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 1
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

12:10pm CDT

Exploring the Game of Life: Making it Fun, But Keeping It Real
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 2
How do you make career exploration and development fun? Well…you dress up for your career, put up a wheel, and create a GIANT-sized Game of Life! Our CTE team will share our experiences engaging with high school students and captivating audiences through student-focused events. Utilizing key concepts from The Game of Life, students enter the game, pick a career card, spin the wheel, and answer questions to further their knowledge about what their future could look like. Keeping the spirit of the game alive, but making conversations real is the true key to our success. Resources as well as tips for modification in various settings and audiences will be shared with the group.
Speakers
avatar for Emily Smith
BS
avatar for Kathy Wight

Kathy Wight

Director of Career and Technical Education, Regional Office of Education #33/Delabar CTE System EFE #280
"Kathy Wight is the Director of Career and Technical Education for the Regional Office of Education #33 and Delabar CTE System EFE #280. Kathy taught business for 15 years to middle/high school students and 5 years at the local community college. Currently, she leads the CTE Department... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 2
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

12:10pm CDT

Introducing SkillsUSA Illinois’ Work-based Learning Platform
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
Bremen
During this session, we will explore how SkillsUSA is the solution provider to support you in guiding students from middle school through early adulthood as they explore, engage with, and prepare for careers. From career discovery through transition to employment, SkillsUSA supports each stage with activities, outcomes, and community impact.
Speakers
CA

Christopher Anderson

Chief Operating Officer, SkillsUSA Illinois and the Youth Workforce Development Foundation
Christopher Anderson serves as the Chief Operating Officer for both SkillsUSA Illinois, Inc. and the Youth Workforce Development Foundation. In this role, Chris leads efforts to scale organizational impact, drive strategic growth, and foster a performance-driven culture across a dynamic... Read More →
KB

Katie Bye

Director of Member Engagement, SkillsUSA Illinois
Katie Bye serves as the Director of Member Engagement at SkillsUSA Illinois, where she leads efforts to inspire and support over 15,000 members in career and technical education (CTE) across the state. With a strong focus on member engagement, she oversees the development and implementation... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
Bremen
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

12:10pm CDT

Math Pathways and Corequisites for Technical Math
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
Illinois has been implementing multiple initiatives to reduce the need for developmental (remedial) courses and increase completion including the DERA legislation and the PWR Act. Both impact technical math positively when utilized as intended. This session will focus on how math pathways and corequisite support can be implemented at community colleges to increase student outcomes and experiences in technical math courses. Attendees will learn about colleges using these practices and the impacts.
Speakers
KA

Kathleen Almy

CEO, Almy Education
Kathleen Almy is the CEO and founder of Almy Education, guiding dozens of colleges nationwide to math success at scale. She is the former Illinois Director for Transitional Math. Prior to her administrative work, she was a mathematics professor with 20 years of experience in high... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement

12:10pm CDT

Taking Back the Trades! Trades School Grant Program Recipient Panel
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 3
Learn how Illinois Community Colleges utilized State of Illinois Trades School Grant Program funding to prepare in-school youth for opportunities in trades programs in some of the following sectors: Architecture and Construction, Energy, Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, and Transportation, Distribution & Logistics. Through grant funding, programs were designed to serve students enrolled in high school, particularly those in their junior and senior years intending to transition to additional training and employment in the trades following graduation. Programs also created partnerships and pathways with middle schools for career awareness and exploration activities for middle school-age students.
Speakers
DE
avatar for Janelle Washington

Janelle Washington

Director for Career and Technical Education, Illinois Community College Board
Janelle Washington currently serves as Director for Career and Technical Education at the Illinois Community College Board where she is responsible for overseeing the administration of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) and other... Read More →
DP
MR
OW
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

12:10pm CDT

The Current State of CS CTE in Illinois: Findings and Future Directions
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
This session will share findings and future directions from a state-wide analysis of high school computer science (CS) coursework. We will highlight CTE’s pervasive influence on CS education in Illinois. We first outline the prevalence of CTE in the most enrolled CS courses, identify the CS CTE sequences, and compare enrollment patterns across student groups to CS non-CTE courses. Further, our work identifies potential “gateway” courses that can diversify CS CTE sequences, highlighting their role in shaping equitable student access. Lastly, we discuss who teaches CS CTE, including a student’s likelihood of having a qualified teacher. Our research underscores that CTE serves as an important and viable pathway to engage students in CS that broadens access to high quality education.
Speakers
SM
CY

Chen Ying

Senior Research Associate, Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative - University of Illinois System
"Speaker’s Bio Ying Chen Dr. Ying Chen is a Senior Research Associate at the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC). He specializes in measurement, psychometrics, and STEM education, with published articles in leading STEM education and measurement journals... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, CTE for all Students

1:10pm CDT

Exploring STEM Careers with Learning Blade: A Free Resource Illinois Educators
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
In this session, Colleen will introduce educators to Learning Blade, a free resource accessible to all schools in Illinois, specifically designed to engage students with real-world missions and career pathways in STEM. Colleen will demonstrate how Learning Blade connects classroom learning to real-world challenges, helping students see how their academic skills directly relate to STEM careers. Through online lessons and offline hands-on activities, Learning Blade exposes students to a wide variety of STEM careers, helping them understand how their skills and interests align with real-world opportunities. With her background in equity-focused education, Colleen will show how Learning Blade helps make STEM careers accessible to historically underrepresented populations. Funded in Illinois by a collaboration with the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base and BlueForge Alliance, Colleen will also demonstrate how Learning Blade can support Illinois students in exploring career opportunities in the state’s submarine manufacturing sector.
Speakers
CR

Colleen Ross

Illinois Manager, Learning Blade
Colleen Ross is the Illinois Manager for Learning Blade and a passionate advocate for making STEM, Computer Science, and Career and Technical Education more accessible and equitable for students across Illinois. With a master’s degree in Equity in Education and certifications in... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

1:10pm CDT

Framework for Standing Up and Growing a Work-Based Learning/Internship Program
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
Join us for an insightful session that will describe how one Illinois school district is standing up and growing their WBL/Career Internship program. Our WBL/Career Internship course is designed for students in career pathways working toward an Illinois College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE). Explore how our district aligned our program to state initiatives and the many resources we use, including Schoolinks and AI, to ensure that our students have unique and meaningful Work-Based Learning experiences. This session is designed for educators, administrators, and career development/WBL professionals wanting to build and/or grow their Work-Based Learning/Internship program.
Speakers
JH
PH
avatar for Brett Thompson

Brett Thompson

Career Internship Teacher and Program Coordinator, Naperville CUSD 203
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Work-Based Learning

1:10pm CDT

Illinois Business Education Association Updates for All Business and Computer Science Educators
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
Stay in touch with offerings from the Illinois Business Education Association (IBEA).  Discover professional development offerings, webinars, mentoring programs, membership, regional affiliates and many more resources available through IBEA.  Great resource for all business and computer science educators.
Speakers
avatar for Lacy Bugielski

Lacy Bugielski

CTE Department Chair, Metea Valley High School
AS

April Suter

P.E.R.F.E.C.T.
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
  Breakout Sessions, Instructional Engagement

1:10pm CDT

Leverage Free Statewide EdTech Services to Maximize Impact
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
Join the Learning Technology Center (LTC) as we introduce you to free and low-cost services and support available to all K-12 educators and districts. Partially funded by the Illinois State Board of Education, the LTC helps districts, schools, and educators harness the power of technology to empower student learning. This session will provide resources to address specific technical needs in a variety of CTE areas and will also address implementing CTE across the content areas. The LTC provides a wide range of services, including custom professional learning for staff, consulting, and district planning on topics like technology integration, computer science, and makerspaces and manages EdTech cooperative purchasing to save districts money. Whether your classroom focus is in a particular CTE area or you are a district leader, this session will equip you with the knowledge to enhance technology-enhanced teaching and learning for your whole organization.
Speakers
avatar for Melinda Fiscus

Melinda Fiscus

Director of Government Affairs, Learning Technology Center of IL
Melinda Fiscus is the Director of Government Affairs for the Learning Technology Center of Illinois. In this role, she provides networking opportunities, consulting services, and professional development for IL school districts. She also serves as one of the IL State E-Rate Coordinators... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
  Breakout Sessions, CTE for all Students

2:40pm CDT

Achieving a 100% Quality Program of Study: The Nine Components
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
This presentation focuses on optimizing and completing the nine essential components of a Program of Study submission to ensure a comprehensive, high-quality educational experience that leads to 100% quality achievement. This session should help guide Educator for Employment System Directors (EFE) and administrators to elevate their program and ensure that students achieve their career and academic goals. ISBE staff will also share information about the upcoming roll out of the digital platform to support continuous improvement for each component of the Program of Study Submission system.
Speakers
SS

Shaista Saiyed

CTE - HST Principal Consultant, ISBE
"Shaista Saiyed is the Health Science and Technology (HST) Principal Consultant for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In this role, Shaista provides leadership, expertise, and support within ISBE and other agencies... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 4
  Breakout Sessions

2:40pm CDT

Alumni Career Connection
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
Bremen
The purpose of Alumni Career Connections is multi-faceted. The site connects students with alumni in career fields of interest. It allows the district to celebrate success and heritage, and allows alumni to create connections. The site introduces parents and students to emerging career fields and opportunities to help them find their pathway. The site allows businesses to locate alumni to recruit for employment.
Speakers
TM

Travis Mackey

CTE Director, Geneseo CSUD #228
Travis Mackey, CTE Director with over 35 years in the educational field, is a seasoned expert in leveraging alumni connections to empower students’ career paths. Known for his impactful presentations, Travis has shared insights on the influential role of alumni networking with audiences... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
Bremen
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

2:40pm CDT

Embracing the Power of Cooperative Purchasing with the Illinois Learning Technology Purchasing Program (ILTPP)
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
Tired of the cumbersome traditional bid process for technology procurement? Join us for an informative session on the Illinois Learning Technology Purchase Program (ILTPP), a service of the Learning Technology Center (LTC)! This session is perfect for anyone in a purchasing role at their building. Witness firsthand how ILTPP simplifies your district's technology acquisition, empowers you to leverage the strength of collective agreements, and ultimately optimizes your technology landscape. This session will reveal the easy-to-navigate path to membership and unlock a world of technology solutions. Get hands-on guidance through the user-friendly joining process and explore the vast partner directory. Say goodbye to time-consuming bidding processes and embrace the efficiency and convenience of cooperative purchasing with the NEW ILTPP Marketplace, streamlining procurement and taking the manual work out of using a purchasing cooperative.
Speakers
AB

Amanda Bruns

Member Engagement Manager, Illinois Learning Technology Purchasing Program
Amanda Bruns is the Member Engagement Manager for the Illinois Learning Technology Purchasing Program (ILTPP). Amanda leads the LTC’s efforts to attract, engage, and support the purchasing cooperative members. She also works closely with ILTPP’s program director to develop new... Read More →
avatar for Melinda Fiscus

Melinda Fiscus

Director of Government Affairs, Learning Technology Center of IL
Melinda Fiscus is the Director of Government Affairs for the Learning Technology Center of Illinois. In this role, she provides networking opportunities, consulting services, and professional development for IL school districts. She also serves as one of the IL State E-Rate Coordinators... Read More →
HH
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 6
  Breakout Sessions, CTE for all Students

2:40pm CDT

Explore Multiple Paths: D128's Multi-Prong Approach to College & Career Readiness
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 3
Learn how District 128 (Libertyville & Vernon Hills High Schools) is building district-wide college and career readiness systems and programs for its students. Our collaborative work includes weaving together College & Career Pathway Endorsements, a dual credit strategy, a career exploration framework, workplace internships, the PaCE Framework, and more. We'll touch on using the digital platform SchooLinks and how it is critical to ensure our systems and efforts align.
Speakers
BR

Benjamin Rodriguez

Director of College & Career Readiness, CHSD 128: Libertyville & Vernon Hills High Schools
"Ben Rodriguez is the Director of College and Career Readiness at Community High School District 128. In his role, he leads efforts related to career exploration, work-based learning, postsecondary planning, early college programming, community engagement, and more. Through the... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

2:40pm CDT

Finding Free and Easy Resources for Developing Work-Based Learning Plan
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 5
The demand for work-based learning (WBL) opportunities for students is growing rapidly. With ADVANCE CTE new National Career Cluster Framework, schools and businesses recognize the need and value of expanding the hands-on, real-world experience in preparing students for the workforce. Establishing a high-quality WBL program has become a priority. However, creating these programs can seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be daunting—what’s needed is a strong community plan.
Speakers
EG

Everett Grady

Founder, Pathways in Motion
Grady, is the managing board member for Pathways in Motion, a non-profit organization focused on workforce development and working hard to keep America’s diverse workforce educated and engaged. Through a strong network of community services, eligible participants are provided key... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 5
  Breakout Sessions, Work-Based Learning

2:40pm CDT

PaCE Yourself with CIS360’s Work-Based Learning Tracker
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 2
The path to peak performance for students is to pace themselves and run a race designed by them with tools provided by us as educators. The goal to empower students and strengthen our workforce system and economy is one of these reasons why the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s Career Information System created the Work-Based Learning Tracker. Our work-based learning tracker provides guidance for students as they record and maintain data from their own real-world experiences, networking opportunities and employer engagement. The WBL benefits for students is increased readiness needed for the professional world, industry relevance, and increased potential of securing the job they want. As a work-based learning continuum activity, the Tracker meets the guidelines for the Postsecondary and Career Expectations framework and supports ISBE career readiness indicators. Attend this session and learn more about how you can help your students over their own personal finish lines.
Speakers
avatar for Troy McMilan

Troy McMilan

Labor Market and Career Resources Manager, Illinois Department of Employment Security
Troy McMillan is a Labor Market & Career Resource Public Service Administrator with the Economic Information & Analysis Division of the Illinois Department of Employment Security. As the statewide program manager of the Career Information System (CIS) the state’s free-of-charge... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
North Pavilion 2
  Breakout Sessions, Career Exploration and Development

2:40pm CDT

Social Emotional Learning - Broken to be Made
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
In today’s classrooms, addressing students’ social-emotional needs is just as important as academic instruction. This workshop will equip educators with the knowledge and strategies to foster emotional well-being, build resilience, and create a supportive learning environment.
Speakers
CM

Charwana Morgan

Teacher, Harvey 152
"Charwana M Morgan is a dedicated educator, and public servant with a passion for community impact. As a teacher, she has inspired countless students through her commitment to education . Growing up in a poverty stricken neighborhood she has first hand knowledge of what it means to... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
Samuel Tinley
  Breakout Sessions, Instructional Engagement

2:40pm CDT

The Power of Partnerships: Enhancing Postsecondary Success Through Dual Credit and Career Academy Collaboration
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
This session will explore successful models for collaboration between community colleges and high schools, with a focus on the Northeast Consortium for College and Career Success (NECSS) and the Power of 15 program at Harper College. Attendees will gain insights into effective partnership frameworks, dual credit initiatives, career academies, and collaborative curriculum development strategies that bridge secondary and postsecondary education.
Speakers
DY

Dr. Yolonda Barnes

Dean of Business and Social Science, Harper College
DJ

Dr. Joanne Ivory

Dean, Career and Technical Programs, Harper College
"Dr. Joanne Ivory is the Dean of Career and Technical Programs at William Rainey Harper College. She holds a Ph.D. in Organization Development and an MBA from Benedictine University. Joanne focuses on creating impactful credit and noncredit programs through strategic collaboration... Read More →
Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:40pm - 3:30pm CDT
South Pavilion 3
  Breakout Sessions, Curriculum Enhancement
 
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