62 Michigan Students Earn 2022 Breaking Traditions Awards

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is pleased to announce that 57 high school and five college students statewide are recipients of the 2022 Breaking Traditions Awards (BTA). 

Each of these students overcame obstacles and stereotypes to succeed in career and technical education (CTE) programs considered non-traditional for their gender.  These students are “breaking traditions” by pursuing careers in which less than 25 percent of persons working in that field are their gender. 

“These 62 students overcame perceived barriers to achieve success in career and technical education programs that are non-traditional to their gender, which makes them role models for their peers who may be considering or might consider similar career paths,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice.

“Michigan benefits from the Breaking Traditions Award recipients through an increasingly diverse workforce necessary to meet the challenges of a 21^st century economy,” Dr. Rice said.

There are three levels of awards: Excellence, Merit, and Recognition. The highest secondary and post-secondary BTA winners received the excellence award that includes a $500 scholarship from the Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association (MOSPA), an award plaque, a certificate, and a letter of recognition.  Merit winners receive an award plaque, a certificate, and a letter of recognition.  Recognition winners receive a certificate and letter of recognition.

Awards criteria included:

• Completion of a CTE program nontraditional to their gender;
• Enrollment in a Michigan high school, career center, or post-secondary program this year;
• Nomination by a teacher, counselor, administrator, or other staffer employed by the student’s school or career center;
• Satisfactory academic standing, acceptable citizenship, and disciplinary history; and
• Contribution to awareness of non-traditional careers through successful participation in one or more of the following activities:

• Exemplary completion of a program considered non-traditional to the student’s gender;
• Successful competition in a program-related event or contest;
• Participation in a CTE student organization;
• Recruitment of other students into programs non-traditional for their gender;
• Mentoring of other students in CTE programs non-traditional for their gender; or
• Significant contributions to the student’s CTE program.

Applicants provided two letters of support and wrote a brief narrative explaining the career obstacles that they faced and key accomplishments.

MDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education oversees high school instructional programs that teach students skills in a specific career cluster. Most programs offer early college credit opportunities to provide a seamless transition to post-secondary education. These programs support Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan guiding principle to provide students with access to high-quality instruction regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, economic status, native language, or physical, emotional, and cognitive abilities to close the student achievement and opportunity gaps that currently exist.

“The Breaking Traditions Awards extend beyond individual students. These awards also represent the quality of the school culture,” said Dr. Brian Pyles, Director of CTE at the Michigan Department of Education. “Clearly, these schools embrace an inclusive student-focused instructional environment supported by staff, students, and community.”

Award recipients are listed below in alphabetical order for each BTA category:

Michigan Breaking Traditions 2022 Excellence Award:

Post-secondary Level

Justin Emmerling

Mott Community College

Nursing Program

Secondary Level

Emma Greene-Gardenhouse

West Shore ESD, Shelby High School

Criminal Justice

Michigan Breaking Traditions 2022 Merit Award:

Post-secondary Level

Alexis Ortman

Ferris State University

Heavy Equipment Technology Program

Jamil Thomas

Ferris State University

Dental Hygiene Program

Secondary Level

Riley Adams

Northwest Education Career Tech, Traverse City West Senior High

Information Technology Program

Brooklyn Barnhart

Heronwood Field Station, Plainwell High School

Conservation Biology Program

Rylee Best

Newaygo County Career-Tech Center, Fremont High School

Agriscience Program

Breannyn Black

Eaton RESA Career Preparation Center, Lansing Everett High School

Mechanical Engineering Program

Madison Brown

Northwest Education Career Tech, Grand Traverse Academy

Engineering Academy Program

Mary Comiskey

Lenawee ISD, Home School

Auto Services Technology Program

Lane Cool

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Kalkaska High School

Film and New Media Program

Gracie Curtis

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Power Equipment Program

Emma Earley

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Glen Lake High School

Culinary Arts Program

Katelyn Iott

Lenawee Intermediate Tech Center

Machining & Computer Aided Manufacturing Program

Sakeenah Jaffri

Center Line High School

Firefighting Academy Program

Jazmin Jimenez

Careerline Tech Center, West Ottawa South High School

Public Safety Program

Jade Michielsen

Calhoun Area Career Center, Pennfield High School

Power Equipment Technology Program

Zachary Miller

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Health Science Program

John Nieboer

Careerline Tech Center, Coopersville High School

Health Careers – CAN Program

Trenton Opala

Calhoun Area Career Center, Lakeview High School

21^st Century Health Careers Program

Katie Orr

Calhoun Area Career Center, Pennfield High School

Law Enforcement Program

Carmon Rademacher

Eaton RESA Career Preparation Center, Grand Ledge High School

Auto Technology Program

Joshua Rueckert

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Business Careers Program

Alexis Schade

Monroe High School

Electro-Mechanical Design Program

Erin Schworm

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Drafting and Design Program

Grace Sheffer

Hillsdale Area Career Center, Hillsdale High School

Criminal Justice/Public Safety Program

Mason VerStrat

West Shore ESD CTE, Ludington High School

Health Occupations Program

Rowan Wilson

Eaton RESA Career Preparation Center, Eaton Rapids High School

Welding Technology Program

Cole Workman

Newaygo County Career Tech Center, Fremont High School

Business Applied Technology-Accounting Program

Michigan Breaking Traditions 2022 Certificate of Recognition:

Secondary Level

Rheana Armstead

Wexford-Missaukee Career Technical Center, Lake City High School

Digital Media Production Program

Kavan Belmont

Careerline Tech Center, Hudsonville High School

Health Careers-Phlebotomy Program

Ferdinando Campbell

Lincoln High School

Dental Assisting Program

Brianna Cass

Mecosta-Osceola Career Tech Center

Welding and Fabrication Program

Izabella Colunga

Careerline Tech Center, West Ottawa High School

Automotive Technology Program

Ashlyn Cumper

Warren Woods Tower High School

Cooking and Related Culinary Arts Program

Marissa Francis

Kent Career Tech Center, Northpointe Christian

Advanced IT Program

Elise Gourd

Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center, Bay City Central High School

Engineering Drafting Program

Kyra Gray

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Public Safety Program

Melanie Hall

Clare-Gladwin RESD, Farwell High School

Culinary Arts Program

Samantha Hart

William D. Ford Career Technical Center, John Glenn High School

Firefighter Program

Victoria Hatfield

Lapeer Education and Technology Center

Public Safety Program

Lillian Kern

Kent Career Technical Center, Cedar Springs High School

Aviation Electronics Program

Tianna Lemcool

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Traverse City West High School

Collision Repair Program

Hannah Maienbrook

Genesee Career Institute, Linden High School

Welding Program

Anthony Mark

Gratiot-Isabella Technical Education Center, Mt. Pleasant High School

Health Science Careers-Pharmacy Tech Program

Paige Mills

Northwest Education Services Career-Tech, Forest Area Middle/High School

Electrical Occupations Program

Autumn Molnar Houts

Vicksburg High School

Computerized Manufacturing and Mechatronics Program

Madison Osborne

Hillsdale Area Center, Jonesville High School

Criminal Justice/Public Safety

Annie Pitcock

Lakeland High School

Video Production/Broadcasting Program

Alexia Pringle

Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center, Western High School

Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance Program

Clara Riddering

Newaygo County Career Tech Center, Newaygo Public High School

Heavy Equipment Technology Program

Riley Saganek

Charlevoix-Emmet ISD, East Jordan Middle/High School

Welding Technology Program

Sophie Svoke

Gogebic-Ontonagon ISD, Ironwood High School

Construction Program

Emily Taylor

St. Joseph County ISD, Centreville High School

Welding Program

Hailey Tester

Saginaw Career Complex, Merrill High School

Building Construction Program

Taren Todd

Calhoun Area Career Center, Pennfield High School

Computer Programming Program

Ali Townsend

Newaygo County Career Tech Center, Hesperia High School

Construction Trades Program

Alex Trevino

Lenawee ISD Tech Center, Tecumseh High School

Nursing Prep Program

Madison Ware

Tuscola ISD, Cass City High School

Law Enforcement Program

Madilynne Wayne

Mecosta-Osceola Career Tech Center, Reed City High School

Diesel Technology Program

Rachel Youngert

Lapeer County Ed Tech

Firefighting Program

Angel Zarate

Careerline Tech Center, Allendale High School

Advanced Healthcare Program

Please direct questions to Jim Whittaker at whittakerj@michigan.gov