2025 SC Education + Business Summit

The Junior Chef Competition is extremely relevant to both CTE students and instructors. The winning team is presented medals, a trophy and scholarships to Sullivan University in Kentucky. Lastly, the winners advance to the Southeastern Junior Chef Competition. Presenters have dietetic backgrounds and work as Education Associates for the South Carolina Department of Education.

Attendees will explore NIWC Atlantic pathways, gaining insights into career opportunities and personal experiences as civilians. The session will include discussions on the importance of STEM initiatives at NIWC Atlantic, highlighting how these programs foster innovation and support professional growth within the organization and the broader community.

Relevance of the topic to the CTE field:
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is essential for preparing students for the workforce, and introducing career exploration in middle school helps build early awareness of high-demand industries. Learning Blade provides middle school CTE educators with free, ready-to-use STEM career exploration resources that align with South Carolina’s workforce needs. This session directly supports CTE goals by offering practical tools to engage students in real-world career pathways such as advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and engineering.

Value to participants:
Participants will gain hands-on experience with Learning Blade’s interactive career-focused STEM missions and learn strategies for integrating these resources into their CTE classrooms. They will leave with free, ready-to-implement activities designed to help students make connections between classroom learning and future careers. The session will also provide insights into how CTE educators can align instruction with industry expectations and workforce development initiatives.

Presenter knowledge and experience:
As the State Manager for Learning Blade in South Carolina, I have extensive experience supporting educators in integrating career exploration into their classrooms. With a background in curriculum, assessment, and instruction, I have worked with teachers, administrators, and industry leaders to bridge the gap between education and workforce readiness. My role involves training educators, developing implementation strategies, and ensuring that CTE teachers have access to high-quality, career-focused learning tools.

Relevancy: Preparing SC students for the growing demand of digital accessibility skillsets in multiple CTE career fields.

Value: Raise awareness of free resources educators can take advantage of for including digital accessibility skillsets in their lesson plans.

Presenter knowledge: Both presenters are members of the South Carolina Department of Education's Agency Accessibility Team and are both Certified Professionals in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

This session explores computer science standards and explains how to navigate the ADA Title II and Section 508 requirements. Participants will gain practical knowledge of tips, tools, and resources for immediate implementation in their classrooms. Both presenters are SCDE trainers who have been providing digital accessibility training to school districts over the last 2 years. Madalina Tudora is the assistive technology state coordinator, certified as an Assistive Technology Professional through RESNA , and Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) and Courtney Leach is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals and Section 508 trainer for school districts.