CTE Month – MHS Grad to Nursing Career

February is Career & Technical Education (CTE) Month!

CTE opens doors, builds confidence, and connects students to real-world careers — and Alexandra’s story is proof!

From High STEP to Healthcare: Alexandra’s Pathway to a Nursing Career

2025 Madelia High School graduate Alexandra Castro participated in the High STEP program during her senior year, exploring a wide variety of healthcare careers firsthand at Madelia Health. The experience gave her clarity and confidence about her future. She especially valued learning from her teacher, Dr. Julius, and seeing the many different roles within healthcare.

After graduation, Alexandra stepped directly into the workforce as a Nurse Assistant at Madelia Health and is now working toward earning her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification.  Her High STEP experience — combined with hands-on work alongside incredible nurses — continues to strengthen her skills as she pursues her ultimate goal of becoming a nurse.

CTE programs like High STEP don’t just prepare students for jobs — they prepare them for purpose-driven careers that meet workforce needs right here in our region.

During CTE Month, we celebrate students like Alexandra who are turning exploration into action and passion into profession!

Read Alexandra’s story at https://buff.ly/baVYNDu

#CTEMonth | #CareerReady | #HighSTEP