Real‑World Ready: HMHS launches first CTE Career Experience event
Hohenfels Middle High School marked an exciting milestone in May as it hosted its first CTE Career and College Readiness Experience, a new initiative designed to connect students with real‑world career pathways and postsecondary opportunities.
Twenty students in grades 10 through 12 from Culinary Arts, JROTC, Video Communications, Robotics Engineering, Business Law, Principles of Engineering, and Database & Spreadsheets courses participated in the inaugural event, led by CTE Department Chair Mr. William Serino and SFC (Ret.) Terry Weaver, JROTC Instructor.
Serino shared the vision behind launching this new initiative, saying, “As a department, we wanted to leverage our installation’s resources to create an experience that aligned with our courses and gave students a clearer, more authentic view of their future career paths.”
Working closely with School Liaison Officer Nickayla Myers‑Garner, the CTE department coordinated a full day of hands‑on learning across the base. Students engaged with professionals from multiple fields, beginning with briefings from the American Red Cross on hands‑only CPR and International Humanitarian Law.
Students then explored cybersecurity careers at the Network Enterprise Center, met with industry representatives at the Career and Volunteer Fair, and concluded their experience at the Education Center, where they learned about CLEP testing, FAFSA, the GI Bill, scholarships, and college options.
Reflecting on the impact of the experience, SFC (Ret.) Terry Weaver emphasized how the day aligned with student development.
“I felt the day truly supported the JROTC mission of motivating young people to be better citizens, giving students meaningful, hands-on experiences,” Weaver said. “Through first aid training, career fair interactions, and engaging briefings, students gained practical knowledge and walked away with something truly tangible from the experience.”
Students echoed the impact of the day, sharing how the experience broadened their understanding of future opportunities.
Felix A. said he, “had a lot of fun, and learned a lot too,” while Aden L., who hopes to study mechanical engineering in college, noted that the trip, “answered a lot of questions I had about college and jobs.”
Business Law student Kazina H. added, “It was a really fun learning experience, and I think they should do this every year!”
Meanwhile, Lena T., who will be a junior next year, shared, “It was really interesting and helpful learning about different scholarships and classes for the future, especially since I’ll be a junior next year.”
Their reflections highlight the value of giving students direct access to career professionals and postsecondary resources.
The success of this first‑ever event has already inspired future planning. The CTE department has reached out to the School Liaison Officer to begin coordinating for next year, with hopes of expanding opportunities and offering even more tailored events for students to explore.
With this new initiative, HMHS continues to strengthen its commitment to preparing students for life after high school — whether through college, military service, technical training, or the workforce — by ensuring they have the knowledge, confidence, and connections to pursue their goals.
