Career and Technical Education

Our Career and Technical Education program trains today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs. Here at Santa Cruz, we have one CTE program:

• Culinary Arts—taught by TBD
• Graphic Design – taught by Angela Sterner

CAVIT

Here in the Culinary Arts Department, students will study the living systems as applied to the science of food and fiber production, food processing, and human health. They will also explore the foundation of cooking skills, sanitation, and kitchen safety. Topics also include cooking stocks, sauces, soups, meats, knife mastery, and baking.

Instruction includes the supervised application of the skills and techniques used during hands-on training in a commercial kitchen. Field trips to commercial food service operations, food distributors, and food manufacturers are also included. Culinary competitions are also available to those students who may be interested. Additional topics include a la carte cooking, Garde Manger, Charcuterie, advanced baking techniques, food history, catering, and restaurant operations.

Successful completion of the three-year course will qualify students for three (3) Central Arizona College credits in HRM 203: Introduction to Culinary Arts.

We are also in partnership with the Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (CAVIT) program where our 11th- and 12th-grade students can begin preparing for higher wage, in-demand jobs while still attending high school.

CTE Mission Statement

Create a model program, utilizing the diverse talents of the entire community, which has high standards, is well-funded, award-winning, and successful, to provide a solid foundation for students to achieve employment and become valuable contributors to the local community.