The Unit 4 Schools’ College and Career Readiness Team hosted its first annual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Appreciation & Awards Reception. The program recognized the accomplishments of students from Central and Centennial High Schools who participated in Career and Technical Education programs as well as celebrating the community and business partners who supported their success.
With families, educators, internship supervisors, and community leaders present, the reception honored students involved in Senior Internship and Workplace Experience programs, while also recognizing employers and organizations that provide valuable mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities throughout the school year.
Award recipients recognized during the ceremony included:
Child Development: Shaping Tomorrow Award — Gideon Blair
Culinary Arts: Rising Culinary Professional Award — Addison Dyer
Outstanding Industrial Technology Student Award — James Ellerbee
Business Student of the Year (Freshman/Sophomore) — Zoey Lala
Business Student of the Year (Junior/Senior) — Connor Robinson
Rotary West Outstanding CTE Student Award — Caroline Blount
In addition to departmental awards, students participating in the Senior Internship program were individually recognized during the event.
Central High School Senior Interns
Caroline Blount
Silas Chalmers
Margaret Gengler
Aurelie Gerini
Noah Green
Samhita Gubba
JJ Guyette
Kokomi Liao
Diego Marguccio
Mario Nieto
Andrew Olson
Angelo Rubico
Jared Serrano-Betanza
Carolyn Stockman
Xinyie Wang
Centennial High School Senior Interns
Isaiah Allen
Trey’von Amos
Preston Brown
Jeremy Ebes
Josephine Elliott
Andrew Gonzalez
Lorelei Grassman
Jackson Liong Jr.
Ashton Long
Jessica Miller
Erika Mokaphon
Ronin Pak-Walch
Elion Regassa
Melanie Richardson
Kayla Walker
Anna Williams
The event also highlighted the many internship and workplace experience partners who support Unit 4 students, including organizations in healthcare, engineering, law, agriculture, public safety, technology, athletics, and the arts.
Internship and workplace experience sites recognized during the ceremony included:
AGILE
Caring Hands Hospital
Carle Health
Centennial Football Team
City of Champaign Police
ESCA Consulting
Grit Automation
Illinois Land Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid
M.A.T.S Accounting
RATIO Architects
Savoy Fire Department
Seibert Stevens DMD MS
Sola Gratia Farm
Stratton Academy of Arts
The Safe Haven Studio
Tolono Public Library
UIUC Data Center
UIUC Grainger Engineering
U of I Community Credit Union
UIUC Krannert Center for Performing Arts
Special recognition was also given to Prudence Adams and the Champaign Toastmasters for supporting students in developing public speaking and presentation skills in preparation for the event. Busey Bank was thanked for donating volunteer service hours to help make the reception possible.
The reception was largely planned and led by students, with students serving in leadership roles including project management, event planning, photography, videography, apparel design, and public speaking.