CITEA Holiday Newsletter

ANNUAL CITEA STATE CONFERENCE
The Annual State Conference has been rescheduled to June 18-20, 2025, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. More information will be provided soon.

Scholarship, Grant and Awards Applications
NEW DEADLINE - MARCH 1, 2025

CITEA Member Profile
Mark Feuerbach, CITEA Past President
With 32 years of dedicated teaching experience in Ag Mechanics and welding, Mark has made a significant impact in the educational community. He has taught at Modoc High School, Galt High School, and Liberty Ranch High School, where he notably designed a new welding shop that provided his students the tremendous opportunity to develop their welding knowledge and skill.

Before entering the classroom, Mark worked in the industry for ten years, gaining hands-on experience in welding, fabrication, repair, and maintenance. He holds a degree from Fresno State University and earned his teaching credentials at Chico State University. Throughout his career, Mark has found great satisfaction in teaching students valuable skills that they can carry into their personal and professional lives. Many of his former students now thrive in various industries, working in shipyards in Florida, drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and in oil refineries and manufacturing.

In addition to teaching, Mark has coached football for 25 years, believing that the discipline and teamwork learned on the field complement his welding classes. He recognizes that some student-athletes may struggle with academics, and he strives to provide them with incentives to maintain their grades.

Mark became involved with CITEA in the early 1990s after attending a CITEA/MTTA summer conference. Inspired by the experience, he began presenting at these conferences and was later invited to serve on the Executive Board, where he has remained an active member. Mark is passionate about mentoring younger teachers, sharing his extensive knowledge, and learning from the fresh perspectives they bring.

For those who enjoy networking with fellow educators and exchanging ideas, regardless of their subject area, Mark believes that involvement with CITEA offers invaluable opportunities for growth and collaboration.
 

Safety Tip for Fall

Safety in the Welding Shop - When putting together a Safety Program for your shop remember to include the Standards of your School District, OSHA, Hazardous Materials, Fire Department, and Schools Insurance Authority. As the Instructor you must do your best to meet their recommendations. The AWS (American Welding Society) is a great resource and guide to Welding Safety.
 

Teaching Tip From Mark

Never underestimate the Learning Curve of a student. I have had students that as 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students were very poor Welders and struggling to pass Basic Welding Skills. When reaching their Senior Year they became Outstanding Welders. All their effort and hard work came together for them to be a Certified Welder.
 

El Dorado High School's Wood Shop Transformed into a Winter Wonderland

El Dorado High School's wood shop was transformed into a winter wonderland Friday, Dec. 6 and Monday, Dec. 9, 2025, as part of a yearly tradition that brings smiles to hundreds of local youngsters.

Through the efforts of woodshop teacher and Chief Elf Lance Gunnersen and his students, the classroom normally home to awls, lathes, saws and hammers was given a festive facelift and turned into Santa's Toy Shop. More than 400 local kindergarteners from nearby schools visited the workshop Friday morning, with a second batch of students visiting a twinkling nighttime event Monday. EDHS students dressed as Santa's helpful elves greeted the cheerful tykes and helped run homemade games and experiences, such as a tabletop bowling lane and the perennially popular rocking horses.

For the entire article, click here

To see the video of Santa’s Toy Shop, click here

To learn more, please attend Lance’s session at the CITEA State Conference in June.

Legislative Update
California has recently released a Master Plan for Career Education.  This is the first of its kind in nearly 60 years. It promises to be a forward-thinking response to the pressing need to make education and workforce training programs easier for all Californians to access and the need to address the ever-evolving economic landscape. The plan’s approach emphasizing state and regional coordination, the implementation of universal design principles, and the integration of innovative strategies holds the promise of transforming the state’s educational and workforce training systems. The plan is poised to create inclusive pathways to prosperity that resonate with California’s diverse communities. It not only seeks to dismantle the structural barriers that hinder economic mobility but also serves as a model for ensuring that education and training adapt to the demands of a dynamic workforce.  

For more information, click here 

Scholarships and Awards
Applications for 2025 TRADESTRONG scholarships are now being accepted. All high school seniors in the states of California and Nevada who are interested in pursuing a career in the construction trades are eligible to apply. Go to www.tradestrong.us/apply to submit your application online. Applications will be accepted through February 1, 2025.

CITEA Awards – Due by March 1, 2025
https://www.citea.org/awards-application.html
Do you know of a person or Program that is doing great work and deserves to be recognized? Complete an application so they can be recognized at our State Conference in June!

CITEA Middle School Mini-Grants and Student Scholarships – Due by March 1, 2025
https://www.citea.org/grants-and-scholarships.html

BECOME A MEMBER of CITEA!
Welcome to CITEA, where teachers support teachers! For just $30 a year, you'll access valuable teaching resources, connect with great educators, and be part of a network that helps you grow professionally.

As a member, you can also share your knowledge to help others succeed. Join us today and be part of a community focused on educational excellence!

CITEA Annual State Conference
Register Today! June 18-20, 2025 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. To register, click here 

Call for Presenters
Do you have a great idea, lesson or project? We would welcome you to present at our State Conference in June. To submit a presentation proposal, click here
Proposals are due by May 1, 2025.