Forbush FFA Attends National Convention

Forbush FFA had an amazing week at the National FFA Convention! They had a blast, learned so much, and made memories that will last a lifetime.

During their trip, they visited the Indianapolis Zoo, a koi fish farm, an apple orchard, and Conner Prairie for a Fall Festival. They also explored numerous colleges and career opportunities at the expo, enjoyed a little shopping, and had the opportunity to watch the National FFA Officers during the opening session. We wrapped up the week and went to an exciting rodeo!

One of the best parts of the experience was meeting FFA members from across the country and making new friends from Davidson and Chatham counties along the way.

Experiences like these allow our students to learn beyond the classroom, explore future career opportunities, build friendships, and see just how big the FFA family really is! 

Thank you so much for allowing us to go! The girls are already asking to go next year, and one is working on an Agriscience Fair project to hopefully compete in that area! 

– Sarah Bridges, Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor

Starmount Carpentry Students Begin Shed Project

Starmount Carpentry II students are working on a shed project. 

This project goes along with their floors and walls units, giving them some hands-on experience.

Learning by doing in CTE!

SHS Students Visit Morrow Mountain and NC Zoo

Starmount High School students visited the Morrow Mountain State Park and NC Zoo earlier this month to learn about the numerous career positions associated with conservation and protection of our NC natural resources. Park Rangers presented lessons on firefighting techniques, discussing customer service provided to visitors, the maintenance of the park facilities and landscape, and the responsibilities assigned to others who work for the NC Parks Department.

The evening concluded with cooking dinner in fire pits, making S'mores, competing in a Park Scavenger Hunt and, finally, a nighttime Halloween-inspired Student Murder Mystery event.

The second part of the trip was to visit the NC Zoo. Park educators presented various career opportunities, including internships for high school students, and led the Animal Ambassadors presentation. Students were able to interact with live animals and learn more about their unique habitats.

Overall, it was a fun opportunity to learn more about multiple career fields as well as spending time exploring nature.

Food and Nutrition Students Get Behind the Scenes Look

Forbush High School Food and Nutrition II students were given a behind the scenes tour of the school cafeteria by cafeteria manager, Kandis Martin.

Students are preparing to take the ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification exam, and this allowed students to see real life examples of what they are learning. 

Thank you to Ms. Martin and School Nutrition for allowing our students to have this experience!

Forbush High School Marketing Students Partner with Yadkin County Leaders on Public Education Project

DECA and Sport & Event Marketing students at Forbush High School recently partnered with Yadkin County Superintendent Anthony Davis and County Manager Michael Silverman on a real-world marketing project focused on public education and community awareness.

Throughout September and October, informational and educational sessions are being held at locations across Yadkin County to provide residents with information about the proposed one-quarter-cent sales tax change that will appear on the November ballot. As part of this initiative, students applied their classroom marketing skills to develop materials designed to help educate the public about the proposal.

Working collaboratively, students created a variety of marketing materials, including informational slide presentations, flyers, social media graphic prototypes, and specialty merchandise concepts designed to reach different target audiences. Students focused on creative ideas to help communicate information clearly and effectively across multiple platforms.

Mr. Davis and Mr. Silverman visited the Forbush High School marketing classroom to learn about the students’ ideas and review their proposed materials. During the visit, they shared information about the proposed sales tax, discussed its potential local impact, and helped students better understand the importance of accurate, accessible public information.

This project provided students with a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with a real-world community need. By focusing on education, accuracy, and audience awareness, students gained practical experience in developing marketing materials for a public information initiative while learning more about local government and civic engagement.

Experiences like this demonstrate how Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students to apply their skills beyond the classroom. Through collaboration with local leaders, Forbush High School students are building communication, creativity, and professional presentation skills while contributing to an informed and engaged Yadkin County community.

FHS Hilti Certifications

Mr. Cockerham’s Electrical Trades and Carpentry students were certified for 5 HILTI powder actuated nail guns.  This will allow them to use these tools on a job site if they decide to work in the construction field. 

Students were able to put on the exoskeleton that helps them lift heavy tools above their heads to work and not tire out so fast also.  It is always a fun time having Shane Kerr from HILTI to bring his truck of tools for students to use and they get to use the new models as well. 

Forbush High School DECA Students Honor Local Veterans Through Community Service

Forbush High School DECA students continue to make a difference in their community through their ongoing Support Our Troops community service initiative. This year, students partnered once again with Golden Years, a community-supported program dedicated to enhancing the emotional, social, and physical well-being of senior adults in the East Bend and Boonville areas of Yadkin County.

This partnership builds on an earlier collaboration in which Forbush High School Sport and Event Marketing II students designed the Golden Years logo and developed branded merchandise concepts for the organization. Building on that experience, FHS DECA students took on a new project this year to recognize and honor local veterans.

Golden Years partners with the East Bend Senior Center to host monthly Veterans' Coffee events, providing local veterans with a welcoming place to connect, share experiences, enjoy fellowship, and learn about available resources.

As part of this current project, DECA students designed an original logo for the veterans' group and created custom zippered gift pouches filled with thoughtfully selected items for the recipients. Students applied their marketing knowledge to develop a meaningful gift that reflected the interests and needs of the intended audience while demonstrating the importance of thoughtful branding and product selection.

On September 16, representatives from FHS DECA attended the Veterans' Coffee event, hosted by Cross Technology, Inc., in East Bend, North Carolina. Students greeted attendees, distributed the specially designed gift pouches, and introduced themselves before personally thanking the veterans for their service to our country. Our student representatives were even given seats of honor in the front row!

Although our students attended the event with the goal of honoring local veterans, they left feeling equally honored by the warm welcome and fellowship they received. The experience provided a meaningful opportunity for students to build connections within our community, practice professional communication skills, and see firsthand how thoughtful service can make a difference.

Through FHS DECA's Support Our Troops initiative, our students continue to demonstrate that leadership is about more than holding a position or earning recognition. It is about serving others, building relationships, and showing appreciation through meaningful action.

We are grateful to Golden Years, Cross Technology, Inc., and the veterans who welcomed our students and allowed them to be part of this special event. This partnership demonstrates the value of Career and Technical Education (CTE) by connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences that develop marketing skills, strengthen professional relationships, and foster a lasting commitment to community service.