CTEP Logo Contest Winner Selected

July 14, 2010 – Brian Murphy, a resident of West Long Branch, N.J., and a junior at Communications High School in the Monmouth County Vocational School District, has been selected as the First Prize winner for the CTEP Logo Design Contest.

Murphy received a Visa gift card in the amount of $100, and the new logo will be used in print and online materials to promote the mission of CTEP: to enhance career and technical education in New Jersey. The contest this spring generated over 50 logo submissions from high school and community college students throughout the state.

Murphy, who says he loves the “fusion of technology and creativity” required to be a graphic designer, intends to study visual communications/graphic design in college. He chose the “gear” imagery to represent the "technical" in career and technical education, while the spokes represent people or careers, and the graduation cap illustrates education.

Veronica Decker, age 20, from Sussex Community College and Jacob Cook, age 17, from Morris County School of Technology, received Second and Third Place prizes respectively.

	1st Place - Brian Murphy Age 16, Communications High School of the Monmouth County Vocational School District
	2nd Place - Veronica Decker Age 20, Sussex County Community College
	3rd Place - Jacob Cook Age 17, Morris County School of Technology
Click logo icon to see larger image

National DOE official keynotes conference on future of career technical education

June 5, 2010 – Over 100 educators and administrators from community colleges and secondary schools around the state attended a leadership conference on the future of career and technical education (CTE) at RVCC on June 4. Dr. Frank Chong, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges, U.S. Department of Education, gave the keynote address, while other presenters and panelists, including Dr. Katherine Hughes, Assistant Director for Work and Education Reform Research at the Community College Research Center (Columbia University), and Marie Barry, Director, NJ Office of Career and Technical Education, spoke about the challenges and opportunities for secondary/postsecondary collaboration and its impact on student success.

The conference agenda and speaker presentations are available.

Competition showcases many faces, talents of career technical students

March 20, 2010 – The New Jersey chapter of SkillsUSA, one of the largest Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) in the country, hosted its 2010 Tech Prep Competition at Raritan Valley Community College on Friday, March 19. The annual event brings together approximately 30 student teams from secondary schools across the state to present a project in a chosen “career cluster.” The winners represent New Jersey at the SkillsUSA Championships held in Kansas City, Mo. in June. Among this year’s presentation projects: fresh gazpacho (Hospitality) and a hydroponic strawberry garden (Agriculture).