About Activate CTE
GOOD CTE CHANGES WHAT STUDENTS BELIEVE IS POSSIBLE.
Activate CTE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We work alongside educators, student organizations, associations and communities to turn ambitious Career and Technical Education programs into clear next steps that fit the people doing the work.
What we do
ONE ORGANIZATION. MANY WAYS TO STRENGTHEN CTE.
Every program starts with the same question: what do the students and adults in front of us actually need next?
Professional Development + Speaking
Keynotes, workshops and year-round learning built for the realities of CTE classrooms.
EXPLORE →CTSO + Association Support
Advisor coaching, officer development and competition prep for SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, DECA, FFA, TSA and more.
EXPLORE →AVEL Esports + ActivateXP
A statewide scholastic esports league with career exploration built in for every student.
EXPLORE →Activate PLACE
Students, volunteers and professionals working with local businesses and events to build community.
EXPLORE →Advocacy + Partnerships
Bringing educators, students and industry into the conversations that shape CTE funding and policy.
EXPLORE →Stories + Insights
Student journeys, educator insight and practical thinking from the people doing the work.
READ →What we believe
THE WORK STARTS WITH PEOPLE.
Start with the people doing the work.
Educators know what their students need. We build around their reality, not a generic catalog.
Leadership should not require burnout.
Students should learn how to lead without exhausting themselves proving they can.
Everyone shares the responsibility.
Students belong in the conversation, and industry belongs in the classroom before graduation.
Meet the founder
JASON BLACKWELL
Jason is one of the founders of Activate CTE. His work started in the classroom, teaching SkillsUSA carpentry at Escambia County High School in Atmore, Alabama. There, his students designed and built picnic tables for a city park using lumber donated by the city, a project that showed what hands-on learning can do for students and their community.
Today Jason speaks at conferences, leads professional development for CTE educators, supports student organizations, and advocates in Washington, D.C. for strong investment in Career and Technical Education. He brings classroom credibility, humor and direct language to every room.
Jason Blackwell
Nonprofit information
ACCOUNTABLE TO STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES.
EIN 99-2894067
Reedley, CA 93654
Work with us
BRING US THE REAL PROBLEM.
You do not need a finished plan. Tell us what is happening in your classroom, association or community, and we will find the right next step together.