Make the time in the room useful.
Interactive sessions shaped around the audience, the pressure they are under and what they need to do next.
Activate CTE
Good CTE changes what students believe is possible.
We work alongside educators, associations and communities to turn ambitious programs into clear next steps that fit the people doing the work.
Professional development
Professional development for people who actually teach CTE.
Sessions begin with the decisions educators are making now, not a generic catalog written for every department.
Keep the work moving between meetings.
Cohorts, virtual sessions and coaching give teams space to test ideas, solve problems and adjust as they go.
Public speaking with Jason Blackwell
A keynote should do more than fill a slot.
Jason combines classroom credibility, humor and direct language to speak honestly about CTE, student leadership and the people carrying both. Audiences leave with a sharper question to consider and a reason to act on it.
Opening keynotes
Closing keynotes
Conference sessions
Professional development and speaking
CTSO support + student leadership
Great leadership should not require burnout.
We want students to discover what they are capable of. We also want them to learn something many adults do not learn until much later.
Leadership is not measured by how much of yourself you are willing to sacrifice.
Leadership development should teach students how to lead, not how to exhaust themselves proving they can.
Advisor coachingOfficer developmentConference planningAssociation facilitation
CTSO and association services
Organized competition. Clear expectations. Real careers around the game.
AVEL gives scholastic esports teams a dependable season while helping students see the production, technology, leadership and creative work surrounding competitive gaming.
SeasonSchedules and competition administration
CoachesOnboarding and match-day guidance
StudentsTechnical and leadership pathways
Cooper Kias · Student voice
“CTE gave me somewhere to belong.”
After epilepsy changed the future Cooper had planned, SkillsUSA gave him another place to lead. He later served as a national officer and became an advocate for students whose paths are not predictable.
Activate PLACE
Let the community define the work.
PLACE begins by listening to local businesses, residents and civic leaders. Students and educators then help turn what they hear into projects tied to marketing, tourism, events, service and economic development.
Listen locally → identify priorities → build a useful project
Explore Activate PLACEBring us the real problem, even if the plan is not finished.
Tell us what is happening in your classroom, association or community. The first step is a useful conversation.