On Monday morning, CAST Tech senior Cesar Huerta led a group of more than 30 business leaders from New Mexico through his school, sharing a bit about his experience along the way.
When he first enrolled at CAST Tech High School as a freshman, Cesar said, he didn’t actually want to go there, nor did he really want to be in high school at all. He went from not expecting to graduate from high school to falling in love with design, and planning to study architecture in college.
He described a process of finding joy in learning a hands-on setting, and encountering teachers determined to help him succeed even when he struggled. CAST Tech’s pathways are UX (user experience), cybersecurity/networking, and business/entrepreneurship.
Through the UX pathway, Cesar discovered his love of design. Rather than take college courses, he chose to work 20 hours a week with a construction firm where he is getting an opportunity to engage in design conversations.
Talking to students is my favorite part of my job.
At CAST Schools, we relentlessly pursue data for the purpose of getting better, and our big idea is that young people who have experienced career-connected, hands-on learning will leave with a plan and a purpose. We are super excited that Accenture is helping us develop better systems for tracking our alumni post high school, to see if we are setting them up for success in high-demand, high-wage jobs.
But talking to Cesar, I am reminded that behind every data point is a person’s story.
Our CAST Promise is that students will graduate with at least 9 transferable college credits, industry-recognized certifications, and a work-based learning experience, such as a job.
Cesar didn’t take dual credit, choosing to dedicate his time to a job, rather than an internship. By his own account, he has become a joyful, purposeful learner, and he is leaving CAST Tech with a life plan.
Later that day, I joined a tour of CAST Med, led by seniors Caleb Segovia and Audrie Torres. Caleb came to CAST Med High School wanting to be an anesthesiologist.
His first summer, he interned at the San Antonio Vascular and Endovascular (SAVE) Clinic. He loved the clinic, and met anesthesiologists as well as surgeons. But by the end of his time he had decided medicine was not how he wanted to spend the rest of his life.
His next summer, he interned at a law firm, sparking a new interest. Now a senior, Caleb is one of just 8 San Antonio ISD students to receive a prestigious QuestBridge scholarship to attend Duke University, where he plans to study political science.
Based on our annual senior interviews, more than 80 percent of our CAST Med High School graduates do go on to pursue something in the healthcare field, and that is something we celebrate.
But Caleb reminds us that the process of deselection is as important as the process of selection.
Asked why he remained at the school after deciding he was no longer interested in anesthesiology, Caleb shrugged and smiled. He loves CAST Med, he said, his fellow students, the teachers, and he is prepared for his next step although it is not in medicine.
Jeanne Russell
Executive Director
CAST Schools
