MONTEBELLO – More than 2,400 Montebello Unified eighth-graders learned about potential career pathways they can pursue during their high school experience through hands-on demonstrations and expert guidance provided by teachers and upper-class peers Feb. 20. The day-long MUSD Linked Learning Pathways Choice Fair was held at East Los Angeles College (ELAC).

“Our District is committed to providing each and every student the chance to achieve success in college, career and beyond, and this event exposes incoming high school students to some of many opportunities available to them,” Montebello Unified Board President Edgar Cisneros said. “We would like to thank our District partner, East Los Angeles College, for collaborating with our administrators and teachers in creating an educational pipeline for our young students to access college and career, and for allowing our students to step onto a college campus so early in their academic careers.”

The fair highlighted 11 career pathways provided by Montebello Unified’s high schools, including rigorous academic programs in architecture, public service, child development, culinary arts, engineering and design, business, and alternative energy. The event was developed in partnership with ELAC to enable students to visualize what college is like, and what it takes to get there.

Eighth-graders from all six MUSD intermediate schools were bused to ELAC and provided a stamp card, then visited the various Pathways booths until they had experienced every demonstration.

“Our Pathways programs are indicative of our promise to promote world-class learning because each pathway prepares our students for graduation and higher education, while making them knowledgeable and competitive for tomorrow’s jobs,” Superintendent of Schools Cleve Pell said. “We are grateful to all those involved for getting so many students, teachers, facilitators and staff members together in the name of promoting high-quality educational opportunities.”

MUSD Pathways link learning with student interests, career preparation, hands-on learning experiences, and lead to higher graduation rates, increased college enrollments, and enhanced earning potential.

“This event was truly impressive as it not only provided our eighth-graders with motivating academic and career options, but it provided our current Pathway students with a chance to think critically, collaborative and creatively about what they are experiencing and why,” Superintendent of Education Susanna Contreras Smith said. “Bravo to each participant – students, teachers and District officials included – for instituting this memorable event as a precedent for years to come.”

MUSD Pathways offers students personally relevant, wholly-engaging, and rigorous academic and technical curricula combined with exposure to real-world professions; helps prepare students to graduate from high school well prepared to enter a two- or four-year college or university; develops opportunities for apprenticeships and formal job training; and exposes many students in school to previously unimagined college and career opportunities.

The Pathways programs available are:

Applied Technology Center:

  • Food Service (CHEF)
  • Public Service (PALS)
  • Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE)
  • Health Services

Bell Gardens High School:

  • Child Development (iCARE)
  • Culinary Arts (CHOP)
  • Green Technology (GREEN)

Montebello High School:

  • Alternative Energy (DRIVEN)
  • Creative Arts (CATS)

Schurr High School:

  • Engineering and Design
  • Global Business and Logistics (GBL)

Students who choose to pursue a pathway must complete an application and have it signed by their parents before the end of the school year. To download a Pathways application, please go to
http://montebellousd-ca.schoolloop.com/file/1303568698317/1298113621458/2072315191749148808.pdf

Photo Caption:
MUSD Pathways1: More than 2,400 Montebello Unified eighth-graders learned about potential career pathways they can pursue during their high school experience through hands-on demonstrations and expert guidance – such as Culinary Arts, pictured here – provided by teachers and upper-class peers Feb. 20 at a day-long MUSD Linked Learning Pathways Choice Fair held at East Los Angeles College (ELAC).

MUSD Pathways2: More than 2,400 Montebello Unified eighth-graders learned about potential career pathways they can pursue during their high school experience through hands-on demonstrations and expert guidance provided by teachers and upper-class peers Feb. 20 at a day-long MUSD Linked Learning Pathways Choice Fair held at East Los Angeles College (ELAC).