The Middle Grades Career Awareness and Exploration multi-year grant program is designed to cultivate the development of innovative career awareness and exploration programs focused on engaging career-focused instruction and unique experiences for students in the middle grades (defined as grades 5 – 8). 

Burlington City Public Schools 

Burlington City Public School District was awarded a multi-year grant and participated in the program in project years 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. Students from Wilbur Watts Intermediate School participated in a lunch and learn Career Exploration/Computer Science Discovery course where they conducted presentations on careers of interest and engaged in a variety of career focused activities.  

Left to Right 

Kryssa Calderone, School Counselor, Wilbur Watts Intermediate School 

Student, Wilbur Watts Intermediate School 

Ashlie Fleming, School Counselor, Wilbur Watts Intermediate School 

Regina Chew, Technology Teacher, Wilbur Watts Intermediate School  

Students from Burlington City High School participated in the Career Exploration/Computer Science Discovery course where they learned about electronics and coding concepts using a computer kit.  

Left to Right 

Rebecca Sprang, Science & Technology Teacher, Burlington City High School 

Student, Burlington City High School 

Student, Burlington City High School 

Illiana DeStefano, School Counselor, Burlington City High School 

Delran Township School District 

Delran Township School District was awarded a multi-year grant for the Middle Grades Career Awareness and Exploration program and implemented activities in project years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Students at Delran Middle School participated in the Industrial Arts program’s “Fab Lab” that supported opportunities in Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and alignment with Delran’s STEM Ecosystem.  

Pictured from left to right: Jill Radwell, Teacher, and Valarie Shafer, Paraprofessional  

The Industrial Arts program at Delran Middle School provided students with hands on experiences and supported the development of project-based learning skills using technology such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) and CNC routers.   

Pictured are students along with Jill Radwell, Teacher (far right).  

The foundation of CTE programs of study are its teachers! Mr. Nick Durante, Business Teacher from Nottingham High School in the Hamilton Township Public School District (Mercer County), NJ teaches the Business Administration course as part of their three-course sequence in the Business Administration/Management program. This course is designed to provide students with a contemporary understanding of today’s business world, including sole proprietorships,  partnerships and corporations. Students in this program also have the opportunity to participate in the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) career and technical student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.