Joseph Charter School receives $250,000 to invest in its shop and manufacturing program
By Garrett Christensen on Monday, January 15th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
JOSEPH – Multiple High Schools across Eastern Oregon, including Wallowa, Elgin, Halfway, and in this case Joseph, recently received revitalization grants from the Oregon Department of Education. With $250,000 dollars, Joseph plans to invest in their high school shop program and greatly expand the opportunities available to students. Chelcee Mansfield, Joseph’s Agricultural Sciences teacher, and Joseph FFA Chapter advisor, offered the following description of what Joseph has in store for their students:
“Joseph Charter School’s Manufacturing Program has a mission to build up our students, school, and community through the revitalization of our agricultural manufacturing and construction pathway. We will provide equity to our students by engineering opportunities to engage them in high-skill, high-wage, in-demand careers through our shop and manufacturing courses. We need to update skill saws to CNC plasma cutters and routers, our graph paper to CAD-design, and our hand painted finish work to powder coated professionalism.
While learning valuable skilled trades, our students will build rapport with local businesses to gain mechanical aptitude and on-the-job training in many different facets of their work. Students who meet articulation agreements will earn college credit and can work towards welding certifications, as well as develop a career path for their future. These career paths are powerful, dynamic, highly skilled, American made, fuel for the economic engine that propel our students into their future. Furthermore, our robust partnerships will benefit community aesthetics, provide experiential learning for our students, and build vital rapport amongst businesses and community members.”
