RCC, RCS cut ribbon for CTE High School
Jul 31, 2025WENTWORTH – Rockingham County Schools and Rockingham Community College came together on Thursday, July 31 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Career and Technical Education Innovative High School.
Housed on the RCC campus in the Bishopric Lifelong Learning Center, the CTE Innovative High School will open this fall with 40 students training in advanced manufacturing, construction trades, and healthcare.
Eden Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jim Burnette, who also serves on the RCC Board of Trustees, welcomed more than 80 people outside the building, whose interior has undergone minor renovations.
“This is this is extremely special. Think about innovative. That’s something that’s creative, that’s visionary,” he said. “This is the first one in the state. The difference it’s going to make to our county, to our students, for the future, is unbelievable.”
The high school fits well with other programs, projects, and events already in place that not only help students in middle school and high school discover their career interests, but establish clear educational pathways that lead them through high school and Rockingham Community College.
“[This] really moves the needle in the direction that folks have been talking about for a long time, and that is, how can we create opportunities for our young people who don’t necessarily want to get a four-year education, but want to get into the workforce?” said N.C. Sen. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-26). “This school is really going to put those kids, that future, in the right place. It’s a great thing to see this and I congratulate the school system and the community college, and their willingness to work together to make this happen.”
of the new CTE Innovative High School.
Mavis Dillon, Western Rockingham Chamber of Commerce executive director and a former local school administrator, said many students didn’t want to a four-year degree. She called them diamonds in the rough, who already had a work ethic in high school.
“We definitely need this with all the growth that’s moving into our county,” Dillon said.
Diane Sawyer, Reidsville Chamber of Commerce executive director, agreed.
“Our businesses and industries need young people who are coming to them with skills, who are trained, and who can step in and do those roles. We talk all the time about how to keep these young people engaged, and to keep them in Rockingham County. This is how we’re going to do it.”
Rockingham County Schools Superintendent Dr. John O. Stover III said when he came to Rockingham County, he sought out the needs of the community. He was committed to ensuring that high school students had opportunities after graduation. He calls it “Choice Ready.”
Stover said about three years ago, he and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Charles Perkins decided to revamp the school system’s college and career training.
Many willing partners joined in, from the county’s manager, economic development team, and commissioners; state legislators; the board of education; the community college; and more.
The chambers of commerce became involved because “one of the distinctive features of this high school is going to be real-life experience, so we are hoping that our businesses will step up and provide internships and apprenticeships. And we’re going to make sure they’re ready. We’re going to give them a class to say, ‘this is how you show up in a job’,” the superintendent said.
Stover said the work of Perkins, new CTE Director Nina Walls, and the entire CTE team resulted in 72% of the CTE students earning credentials in the 2023-24 academic year, landing Rockingham County Schools in the top 10% in the state. This past year, that increased to nearly 79%.
He said the Golden LEAF Foundation seeded the collaboration of the school system, RCC, and the county and its economic development team. Among other things, this funding enabled the hire of a liaison to work with the partners.
Prior to joining RCC as president in May, President Dr. Sylvia Cox’s research on the county revealed the CTE Innovative High School.
“I knew that this was the place for me when people rallied around to do this work. The mission and vision around it are very clear are aligned with our county, with our state, and it addresses all the needs,” she said, adding that it will fuel economic development and radically change lives.
A program is already in place that enables high school students to take college classes through dual enrollment, during which they “dip their toes in technical education,” she said.
“But an innovative high school changes everything because it’s complete immersion. It’s about graduating with a high school diploma and an associate degree, and walking across the stage with a job,” Cox said.
“I’m so thrilled that [former RCC President] Dr. Mark Kinlaw started this work and passed the baton to me because it is work that I love,” she said.
Cox thanked Sen. Berger and N.C. Rep. Reece Pyrtle (R-65) for their support, for recognizing that the work done at the high schools, college, and through CTE are very important to the community’s health.
Rockingham County Economic Development Director Leigh Cockram said that a couple of years ago, Sen. Berger and the N.C. Legislature agreed to redistribute the way a workforce initiative in the eastern Triad was funded. At the time, the funding was going to one organization, and Rockingham County received just a small portion. Now, the funds come straight to the county to be used to impact the community.
A local collaboration began, aimed at aligning education pathways to best help the community.
“Advanced manufacturing, construction trades and healthcare… are pathways that we strategically studied. We made sure they align with what our workforce needs, our industry needs, and that they are high-paying, high-skilled pathways, meaning that any kid that’s going to graduate from this program will be able to get a job in Rockingham County if they want one, but definitely inside our region,” Cockram said.
Laura Carter, principal of Rockingham Early College High School on the campus of RCC, will also serve as the first principal of the CTE Innovative High School.
After extending gratitude to the partners, she introduced her staff, which includes a bookkeeper, a data manager, a counselor, a career development coordinator, and five teachers.
Christy Hensley, the career development coordinator, said the school will pride itself on hands-on learning.
“Let’s talk about our school mascot. The Pegasus is a horse, [which] means we will work hard for the things that we want to see happen in our life. The Pegasus also has the RCC Eagle’s wings. It means that we are untethered from the Earth. We have freedom of choice as a student,” she said. “We want to make sure that our students have opportunities that fit their personality, passion, interest, and desires. And that’s what this school will bring to our county and to our community.”
