Chalmette High School’s mission is to provide quality educational instruction to prepare students for their choice of college or career. While CHS provides an outstanding foundation for students who are college bound, the school also has one of the best Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in the state.
Offering students nearly 20 different opportunities to earn an Industry-based Certification (IBC), Chalmette High School provides students with courses to prepare them with the training and skills necessary to compete for high wage jobs post-graduation.
Several of these programs were recently on display at the second annual Chalmette High Top Chef Competition and Career and Technical Education Student Showcase.
The student showcase kicked the morning off as community members had the opportunity to learn from students working on certifications in the fields of medicine, carpentry, welding, digital media, and film and music production.
One of those students, Danton Vu, demonstrated how one of the three 3D printers at CHS works.
After explaining to audiences the steps a 3D printer goes through to create an object, Vu exclaimed, “Chalmette High School students are so incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with such advanced technology while we are still in high school. I know that when I graduate I will be competitive in whatever field I choose.”
Following the showcase, community members judged five dishes created by students currently enrolled in ProStart, an Industry-based Certification course for students interested in jobs in the restaurant and hospitality sectors.
In a Top Chef style competition, votes were cast and the winning dish was pulled pork.
Jessica Vallelungo, Career and Technical Education Coordinator for St. Bernard Schools, spearheaded the event and said, “The purpose of the event was to expose our industry and community partners to the work our amazing students are doing each day in our CTE program. Today, I could not have been more proud of the students and the work they do.”