Amber Vredenburg and Kaila Acker present to students at Hoosic Valley High School. The students discussed the various programs available at Questar III.
Each year, representatives from Questar III’s Troy and Hudson-based educational centers visit high schools to speak with tenth grade classes about the benefits of career and technical education (CTE) programs ranging from aviation to welding.
On a visit to Hoosic Valley High School with Career Development Facilitator Pamela Mertz on November 2, two current CTE students shared how hands-on learning is preparing them for the future.
Dressed in full chef uniforms, Hoosic Valley seniors Kaila Acker and Amber Vredenburg told prospective students about their experience in Chef Jim Rhoads’ Culinary Arts program at Rensselaer Educational Center in Troy.
Acker and Vredenburg discussed a typical day in the kitchen and how their classroom is set up to simulate a typical food service workplace. The students also shared how it’s easy to make friends with classmates from other districts and why hands-on learning appeals to them.
Linking CTE offerings to modern-day careers, Mertz asked Acker and Vredenburg to discuss how 21st century skills or knowledge applies to their chosen industry or career. Taking the lead, Vredenburg discussed the importance of sustainability, buying local and trends in organic farming.
Reminding her peers that farmers in Schaghticoke depend on vendors buying their dairy and beef, Vredenburg explained that restaurateurs should strive to buy locally grown items within a 100-mile radius. She said this approach guarantees freshness, eliminates the need for unnecessary trucking and fuel costs, sustains neighborhood farmers and helps trigger the local economy.
Mertz was impressed by Vredenburg’s understanding of the issues. “I was blown away with how well Amber knew this material and was so quickly able to relate it to this rural community. It was perfect and couldn’t have been scripted better,” she said.
