Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. announced today the winners of the Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education Makeover Challenge.

Launched in March 2016, the ten winners of the challenge were selected from an initial pool of 640 schools from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

The challenge asked participating schools to use available classroom or building space to build a makerspace that gives students "access to the tools to design, build, and innovate, ultimately strengthening next-generation career and technical schools.”

The Department of Education said it is encouraging schools to provide students with tools to be makers because making closely aligns with the objectives of CTE, which in turn "prepares students with academic, technical and employability skills.”

The ten winners were selected from an initial entry process and then entered into a six-week bootcamp from April 11- May 22. From here, participants used provided resources and consulted with experts to design a plan for their respective makerspaces.

"Throughout boot camp, schools explored curated resources, readings, webinars, and assignments on a range of makerspace topics, including designing a makerspace, engaging the community, developing a budget, and creating projects that build making skills. At the end of the boot camp, schools submitted a blueprint to be considered for selection and prizes,” the department said in a statement.

Leaders in the field judged these designs on how innovative, replicable, multi-functional, feasible and sustainable they are to select the following winners: 

• Burlington Technical Center, Burlington, VT 
• Capital City Public Charter School, Washington, DC 
• Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL 
• Clearwater High School, Piedmont, MO 
• Dominion High School, Sterling, VA 
• John H. Reagan Early College High School, Austin, TX 
• Palisades Charter High School, Pacific Palisades, CA 
• Theodore Roosevelt High School, San Antonio, TX 
• THINC College & Career Academy, Lagrange, GA 
• William B. Travis Early College High School, Austin, TX

Each winner will receive $20,000 to help make their makerspace designs a reality. Following completion, the winners  will showcase video tours of the finished products at the CTE Makerspace Showcase, to be held at the World Maker Faire in New York City in October 2016.

This announcement coincides with President Obama’s National Week of Making. National Week of Making begins today and continues to June 23rd.

Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

6/17/2016