Baltic, Brandon, Harrisburg and West Central school districts awarded grants

Four Minnehaha County school districts were included in the South Dakota Department of Education’s recent award of $6.4 million in career and technical education (CTE) grants to 36 school districts.

Baltic School District received $218,806.31, Brandon Valley School District received $221,683.81, Harrisburg School District received $199,678.72 and West Central School District received $108,615.82.

Baltic Superintendent Eric Bass said the grant money will bolster the district’s CTE programs with new shop equipment so students can work with current industry tools like a robotic welder, and upgrades to aging machinery.

“(We will) be able to add new CTE machines that have been on our ‘wish list’ to purchase in the coming years,” Bass said. “This grant has allowed us to speed up the timetable on those purchases and get them into our classrooms.”

More: How CTE Academy students created a burger for the 2024 Burger Battle

Brandon Valley Superintendent Jarod Larson said the grant will provide for new on-site courses like Ag Metal Fabrication Technology and Construction Trades, and bring welding equipment up to industry standards given the program doubled in enrollment for this upcoming school year, allowing for capacity to increase in the program from 60 to 150.

Larson said the district will also purchase a clinical-sized Anatomage table for health and animal sciences classes, an interactive table for students to visualize anatomy “exactly as they would on a physical cadaver,” Larson said, noting ACT data at the high school reveals 30-40% of students are interested in pursuing a healthcare related career.

More than 160 students are enrolled in health-career classes for the next school year, and 50 more are in animal science classes, Larson noted.

Construction trades students also will have the opportunity to work alongside Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park to build cabins for the park, Larson said, noting more than 200 students have signed up for architecture and construction classes at the high school next year.

More: How aviation students at the CTE Academy are flying into career options, flight practice

Harrisburg Superintendent Tim Graf said the nearly $200,000 his district received will go toward the purchase of CAT simulators for the CTE program. The simulators teach students to operate heavy machinery like loaders and to drive, brake, trench, lift and more, according to CAT .

West Central Superintendent Eric Knight said the more than $100,000 his district received will add equipment to three CTE areas in the district, including a new greenhouse with an irrigation system and new tables, lighting, fans and data tracking software.

Knight said the district will also purchase a new commercial kitchen for the culinary arts program, along with a commercial grade freezer, refrigerator, cooking range, dishwasher and mixer; and, a large-format printer for the visual arts and audio-visual program.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Baltic, Brandon, Harrisburg and West Central school districts awarded grants