OCDE Newsroom

OC Pathways, Nepris team up to virtually connect students with industry experts

Staff reports November 3, 2015

For the first time, business and industry partners -- from around the world or down the street -- can seamlessly connect with Orange County classrooms virtually and in real-time, thanks to a unique partnership between the OC Pathways initiative and Nepris. [...]

High School Inc. program leverages local businesses to promote college and career readiness

Ian Hanigan August 31, 2015

The High School Inc. program at Valley High School in Santa Ana may have raised a few eyebrows when it announced that students who entered as sophomores had posted a near-perfect graduation rate of 98.5 percent in 2014. But graduation statistics only tell part of the story. What’s perhaps most unique is this school-within-a-school’s approach to blending college and career readiness. Click through to learn more.

Santa Ana high schoolers complete internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (video)

Ian Hanigan August 19, 2015

Perhaps you've been following the story of eight students from Santa Ana who earned the rare opportunity to be interns at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. On the day before they completed the program, we dispatched a video crew to talk about their experiences.

An image of Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares

Mijares: JPL internship exemplifies collaborative efforts to create college and career pathways

Al Mijares July 13, 2015

A paid summer internship that has eight talented Santa Ana students working with JPL scientists and engineers is "precisely the type of experience that was envisioned when the state Department of Education awarded our own OC Pathways initiative a $15 million grant to expand career pathways for students from kindergarten through college," writes Dr. Al Mijares, Orange County superintendent of schools. Click through to read the superintendent’s latest column.

In the news: A new state budget deal, JPL interns from Santa Ana, inspiring graduates and more

Ian Hanigan June 19, 2015

It’s Friday, June 19, and that pretty much closes the books on the 2014-15 school year in Orange County. We don’t have much in the way of pomp and circumstance here, but we do have a handful of education stories from the past week. Click through to catch up on recent articles you may have missed.

Eight high school students from Santa Ana have the right stuff for summer JPL internship

Ian Hanigan June 16, 2015

Thanks to the countywide initiative known as OC Pathways and community partners including OpTerra Energy Services, eight high schoolers from Santa Ana are embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime research experience as summer interns at NASA’s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Click through to read the story and watch a brief video.

OC Pathways partners with OpTerra Energy Services, which will sponsor 10 paid STEM internships

Ian Hanigan May 13, 2015

We’ve received word this week that OC Pathways, the countywide initiative that’s working to expand career pathways for students from kindergarten through college, has a new partner. OpTerra Energy Services, a national leader in alternative energy solutions, is joining the effort by sponsoring 10 paid summer STEM internships for high school students in the Santa Ana Unified School District. It’s part of the company’s continued focus on building educational opportunities and workforce development strategies. [...]

An image of the Cerro Villa Middle School STEM lab

Classroom of the future at Orange’s Cerro Villa Middle School boosts career exploration in STEM fields

Staff reports April 27, 2015

Students at Cerro Villa Middle School in Orange have the opportunity to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through a hands-on elective course that began in March and takes place in the school’s new on-site STEM lab. Utilizing the Paxton ActionLABS program, the lab contains 16 stations stocked with hardware, software, tools and instructional materials that students can leverage to conduct hands-on experiments in the STEM fields through project-based lessons. [...]

A screenshot from a video showing educators taking part in the University of California Curriculum Integration (UCCI) Institute

Orange County teachers look to merge core academic content with career technical education (video)

Ian Hanigan April 1, 2015

Last week, high school teachers from core subjects including history, math, science and English gathered with their counterparts in career technical education for three days of intense research and collaboration at National University. The group’s mission? To develop new secondary courses that combine real-world technical training with core academic subjects and meet UC and CSU admissions requirements. [...]

A photo of students looking through telescope

STEM and the Arts Career Showcase connects student talents to future jobs

Staff reports March 18, 2015

More than 4,000 students and families from middle school through college will learn about careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts at the 2015 STEM and the Arts Career Showcase April 24-26. Organizers say the goal is to help students see how their interests and passions align with real-world jobs – and to motivate them to pursue higher levels of education. [...]

Career technical education