Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Program Earns Honor in 2024 Magna Awards Program for Innovation
Juneau, AK March 26, 2024: We are happy to announce that Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Program (BBRCTE) is a National School Boards Association (NSBA) 2024 Magna Award winner. The BBRCTE Program was recognized for its commitment to innovation in its partnership between four remote Alaska School Districts including Lake and Peninsula School District, Bristol Bay Borough School District, Dillingham City School District, and Southwest Region School District. The Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Program is recognized as a winner in the 29th annual awards program. It is one of 18 winners — three Grand Prize winners and 15 Silver Award winners — nationwide receiving this honor.
Sponsored by NSBA’s flagship magazine, American School Board Journal, the Magna Awards has a long history of recognizing exemplary school district programs.
The 2024 awards program recognizes district programs that solved a challenge with creativity and out-of-the-box strategies.
Members of the NSBA Board of Directors Awards Committee selected the winners from district submissions.
The Bristol Bay Region Career and Technical Education program (BBRCTE) started when two superintendents, one of whom grew up in the region, realized that current students did not have the opportunity to access shop classes and other similar hands-on, career-related courses. Without the funding to support Career and technical Education (CTE) teachers, power cords to equipment were cut, and the jig saws and hammers remained silent.
While the school leaders knew they didn’t have the budget or student population size to hire the teachers needed to run these courses full-time, they recognized that by joining forces and offering intensives, they could give the students opportunities to participate in Career and Technical Education courses. What’s more, these courses helped prepare students with the skills they needed to help their remote communities thrive. Today, a total of four school districts make up the consortium. The board is composed of four school board members and four superintendents from the school districts. The program offers week-long intensives four times a year and distance learning, apprenticeships, and career guidance to students in 22 communities in Southwest Alaska.
“The Magna Awards spotlight innovative programs that are making a difference for students and the communities where they live,” said NSBA Executive Director and CEO Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs. “These award winners serve as shining examples of what can be achieved when creativity and dedication intersect in the pursuit of excellence.”
Read More about the Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Program (BBRCTE) and other 2024 Magna Award Winners.