Lake Oswego students tell board how CTE and STEM classes build skills and careers

Elijah, Ashley and students from Lakeridge High School told the Lake Oswego School District 7J board on Tuesday evening that career and technical education (CTE) and STEM classes give students practical skills and exposure to careers.

At the outset of the board’s regular meeting, Elijah, speaking as a Lake Grove student, described the STEM lab’s mix of hands-on work and coding projects. “STEM gives you the opportunity to learn to fail and try again and again until you succeed,” he told the board. Ashley, who described her STEAM exploration project on the U.N. sustainable development goals, said she and a partner built a website called “Stop Poverty” to collect data and suggest ways for people to help. Addie Williams and Mikayla Nolan represented Lake Ridge students in culinary arts and other CTE pathways, and Williams described cooking class as “a gateway to creativity, culture, and community.”

The presentations emphasized real-world projects (building bridges, waterproof houses, coding robots), stepwise learning (research, blueprinting, build/test), and connections to careers. Committee and staff members in the room thanked the students and noted the programs help “equip students with the tools they need to thrive,” language used by a board member.

Why it matters: board members said the presentations illustrated how district CTE and STEM offerings support career readiness and student engagement at multiple grade levels. Several board members encouraged the continuation and community support of the pathways while noting the district will need to align staffing and facilities as programs grow.

Board response and next steps: district staff and board members thanked the students and said the programs will continue to be part of curriculum and budget discussions. No formal action or vote was taken during the presentations.

Students who spoke

- Elijah (student, Lake Grove) — described STEM lab day-to-day projects and coding robots. - Ashley (student) — described a STEAM UN SDG project and a “Stop Poverty” website. - Addie Williams (student, Lake Ridge High School) — described culinary arts CTE pathway and personal experience. - Mikayla Nolan (student, Lake Ridge High School) — co-presenter on CTE pathways.

Clarifying details: the student remarks focused on classroom projects, community-facing fundraisers and curricular supports; presenters requested continued program support rather than proposing new policies.

Ending: The board heard the student reports as part of its regular meeting; staff said they would continue to brief the board as CTE and STEM programming expands.