“Bet on Yourself”: Chairwoman Hendrickson inspires Grayson Tech students during CTAE month

     Students and staff in the Grayson Technical Education Program at Grayson High School recently welcomed a special guest for Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Month.

     Nicole Love Hendrickson, Chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, was invited to the school by her friend, and Grayson Tech Assistant Principal Nikki Withrow, after they discussed talent retention in Gwinnett County. Withrow wanted Hendrickson to see inside the school’s classrooms and hear directly from students in each pathway.

     Student ambassadors met Hendrickson at the front door and guided her through the school to meet students in each program who provided information about their lessons and projects. They visited classrooms and experienced all 13 pathways: Audio-Video Technology & Film, Commercial Photography, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship, Exercise Physiology, Graphic Design, Horticulture & Forest Science, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Music Industry, Networking & Cloud Computing, Sports Medicine, and Veterinary Science.

     Kendahl, a senior at Archer High School and student in the Sports Medicine pathway at Grayson Tech, says Hendrickson made a lasting impression.

     “It was nice meeting an African American woman in this title and seeing that leadership, knowing, yes, you can do it. Yes, you can make it to the top,” Kendahl adds. “[Chairwoman Hendrickson] asked questions and gave us insight while we helped her learn, so to be able to do that with an adult and know, yes, I can learn from you, and you can learn from me, was a great experience.”

     During the tour, some of Hendrickson’s experiences included visiting the school’s greenhouse, taking photos in-studio with Commercial Photography students, learning about programming and operating a miniature robot, and joining 11th-grader Courtney for an interview at the news desk during Audio-Video Technology & Film class.

     “[Students] were so excited to learn about jobs in Gwinnett County Government, and to see a minority woman in this role,” Withrow says. “A lot of young ladies said, ‘wait a minute, she’s like the boss of Gwinnett,’ so it was a full circle moment for them to see themselves in our guest today.”

     Before leaving the school, Hendrickson spoke to students about her experience in local government and her day-to-day interactions with her coworkers. She explained how leadership, courage, and skills helped her develop in her career, and that many of the skills students are learning at Grayson Tech are used in Gwinnett County Government operations.

     “You always have to bet on yourself and believe in yourself no matter what. That’s exactly what you are learning here at Grayson Tech,” Hendrickson told students.

     Hendrickson added that she was impressed by the pathways and how they provide students with real-world skills, and the courage and motivation to dream big.

     “We are really preparing kids for employable jobs, and I enjoyed seeing the hands-on learning, the passion of the teachers, and the technology that is being used,” Hendrickson shared. “I think it’s important during CTAE month to come talk to kids about different career paths, and I hope we continue this relationship between the county and school system to expose kids to careers and experiences that can help them be successful beyond high school.”