students explored cutting-edge tools like laser cutters, 3D printers, and the Adobe Creative Suite. Supported by COVID-relief funds, the program now offers a comprehensive curriculum that blends creativity with technical skills. To further support these efforts, the district has reimagined its middle school spaces to include design labs where students can work with hand tools and high-tech equipment alike. From a one-to-one device initiative to the development of state-of-the-art digital arts and design courses, Slate Valley wants to ensure that these initiatives not only engage students in handson learning but also prepare them for diverse career pathways. The district has expanded career exploration and work-based learning opportunities, establishing partnerships with local businesses like Hubbardton Forge. “Hubbardton Forge is a high-end lighting company… They have many employees that are designers and have gone to Pratt or RISD (Rhode Island School of Design). They have people who are involved in manufacturing, accounting, etc. So, that kind of exposure opens up opportunities for students to enter internships when they get older,” O’Meara explains. Vermont’s recent legislation supporting youth apprenticeships has further bolstered these efforts, enabling younger students to access hands-on work experiences traditionally reserved for older individuals. Slate Valley is working with the Vermont Department Labor and Hubbardton Forge to establish an apprenticeship program for its high school students. Students as young as 15 now participate in internships, apprenticeships, and job-shadowing programs, gaining invaluable insights into fields like manufacturing, design, healthcare, and business. “By ninth or 10th grade, we want students to see themselves in real-world settings,” O’Meara says, 301 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01 SLATE VALLEY UNIFIED UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
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