I Am CTE: Student Success Stories
At PfISD Career and Technical Education (CTE), we believe that passion, paired with practical skills, paves the way for extraordinary futures. Today, we spotlight a shining example of this belief: a Hendrickson High School graduate from the Class of 2021 who embarked on her journey through our Health Therapeutic - CCMA program. Yanee Hardeman's story beautifully illustrates how CTE can ignite a career path and equip students for success far beyond the classroom.
During her time at Hendrickson, Yanee immersed herself in the intricacies of the healthcare field. Courses like medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and (medical) microbiology weren't just academic exercises; they were foundational building blocks. Reflecting on this period, she shared, "The skills I learned were how to take notes, apply empathy to patients, nonverbal communication, and study habits that ultimately contributed to my love for health and wanting to pursue a career in healthcare." For her, CTE wasn't just about certifications; it was about discovering a genuine passion.
That passion has blossomed into a clear and inspiring career goal: project management for health equity and grassroots movements. This aspiration speaks volumes about the impact of her early exposure to the healthcare world through CTE. It wasn't just about individual patient care; it sparked a desire to address systemic issues and create a more just and equitable healthcare landscape for all.
When asked about her favorite experience in the CTE program, the answer resonated deeply: "The teachers that poured so much love into me – shout out Mrs. Mello-Lopez and Mrs. Gilbert!" This highlights the crucial role our dedicated educators play in not only imparting knowledge but also in fostering a supportive and encouraging environment where students can thrive.
The rigor of the Health Therapeutic program proved to be invaluable preparation for the challenges of higher education. "The intensive courses I took within my CTE program helped me to develop an endurance for rigorous courses after high school," she explained. This strong academic foundation has propelled her towards graduation from UTSA in Spring 2025 with a BA in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and she is set to pursue a Master's in Public Health in Fall 2025. This interdisciplinary approach showcases how the skills and work ethic cultivated in CTE can be applied across diverse fields of study.
For students just beginning their high school journey, this successful alumna offers a powerful piece of advice: "Create relationships with your teachers. They are the gatekeepers of knowledge and life outside of high school – get as much advice and insight from them as possible." This simple yet profound wisdom underscores the importance of mentorship and guidance in navigating the high school experience and beyond.
This is just one story, one testament to the transformative power of CTE in PfISD. It demonstrates how hands-on learning, dedicated educators, and the pursuit of passion can equip students not only with job-ready skills but also with a clear vision for a meaningful and impactful future. We are CTE, and we are proud to witness the success stories of our students as they shape a brighter tomorrow.
Yanee, we know you are going to be a powerful change agent for health equity and thank you for the opportunity to participate in your education!
Hendrickson HS Healthcare Therapeutics student says "my peers and professor were very impressed..."
Angelina Alvarado started at Hendrickson High School generally unsure what pathway she wanted to follow, so in her sophomore year she took Medical Terminology to see if she liked the health sciences program. By her junior year she was really excited to take the Anatomy and Physiology science class, which ultimately confirmed her career choice in health science. Her Healthcare Therapeutic program classes, especially Medical Microbiology with Ms. Sandra Mello-Lopez, built a foundation that helps her feel confident in her freshman college science labs.
“As I complete my second semester of my freshman year in college, I have found that taking medical microbiology has overlapped with my current biology class, especially during lab. Currently we have been assigned to DNA barcode (assign an identification to a specimen through DNA extraction) local samples of plants and fungi. In medical microbiology, we covered gel electrophoresis which is used to determine the size of DNA fragments which is also an essential step in DNA barcoding. Having the background knowledge from medical microbiology, I felt confident in my lab knowing what the overall goal and purpose of gel electrophoresis was, how it works, and reading the gel imaging. I think it was really cool and felt empowering having that knowledge beforehand from your class. My peers and professor were very impressed that Hendrickson had that class available.”
Angelina is a Kinesiology major and plans to minor in occupational therapy. She aspires to be an occupational therapist specializing in helping disabled and special needs youth through hydrotherapy. She says,
"I’ve been a swimmer almost my whole life, including my four years at Hendrickson, and since graduating high school, I found it difficult to erase from my life as it had become an environment where I felt both confident and peaceful. I fell in love with the idea of being able to use my passion for swimming as a therapy tool after being inspired by another occupational therapist with a similar swimming experience to mine. Coupling my swimming background and kinesiology knowledge will allow me to extend a sense of water confidence to children of all abilities so they can share the same sense of ease I do in the water while simultaneously providing therapy care. That, I can confidently say, is my goal for my career.”
Her tips for current students?
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Stay open-minded, get involved to find out what you enjoy, dislike and build a good relationship with your teachers - they are part of a great support system.
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Consider dual credit courses, personally this was a better option for her than AP because “you don’t have to pay to earn credit by passing the AP exam… and not all colleges accept AP credits” (or not in the area you may want the credit). But, be aware that dual credit courses are fast paced because they are semester instead of year-long.
Kudos to Ms. Sandra Mello-Lopez who inspired Angelina, and countless other students, to pursue health science related careers through relevant, engaging instruction and strong, supportive relationship-building.
Pflugerville HS Animation/Game Design student flourishes following high school experience and teacher support.
"Not having to worry financially because of how CTE set up my life, simply because of a program decision in high school..." that's how Braedon Worcester describes his experience.
He completed the Animation/Game Design program of study at Pflugerville HS where he developed his knowledge and skill in programming and game design. He attended the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and was "terrified at how difficult and complex collegiate CS courses would be, but having the headstart that I did... most of the classes were actually 'a joke'." After graduating from UTSA with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree he was on the job hunt for about three months, starting without any work experience or internships. Braedon was hired on with Clothing Tech LLC and works on projects focused on translating 2D clothing designs into interactive 3D simulations. He uses Unity and C#, skills he learned in his Animation and CS classes at PHS! In fact he was told his resume "stood out" because of his experience with these technologies.
His advise to students?
Add projects you've done to your resume, give examples of programming languages you are skilled in using, and create a positive association between what you are learning and who you are as a person.
Braedon looks forward to gaining more experience and become a Team Lead of Software Developers, and that $95,000 salary that goes with it.
A teacher who made a huge impact on Braedon's journey, and helped him develop the necessary skills, confidence, and was very supportive was Mr. Q Taylor. Braedon said "I owe so much of my positivity of my subject matter to (Mr.) Q."