Mountain Institute Career & Technical Education District

09/22/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Mountain Institute Veterinary Assisting instructor Donna Shepard!
Donna was selected to receive a $500 APS Supply My Class award, presented by Matt Meierbachtol, Supervisor of Prescott Service Planning for APS.
The Supply My Class program supports K–12 teachers with funds to purchase classroom supplies and resources for their students.
Donna’s Veterinary Assisting program gives students hands-on training in patient care, clinical procedures and animal behavior while preparing them for entry-level careers working with domestic, exotic and large animals.
Congratulations, Donna—and thank you, APS, for supporting teachers and students in our community! 🐾

09/18/2026

There’s something special about watching someone discover that teaching is exactly where they’re meant to be—and NAU-Yavapai Instructor Casey Crowley gets to see that happen with her Mountain Institute students every week.

Casey works with MICTED Education Profession students, helping them move beyond the college classroom and into real classrooms alongside experienced mentor teachers. Students spend more time in field placements than typically required, giving them valuable opportunities to experience what teaching looks like day to day.

Each week, they come together to reflect. What makes a teacher effective? What helps a classroom run well? What are great teachers doing to help students learn? Then Casey sends them back into their placements with a challenge: Look for those things happening in real time.

For Casey, one of the best parts is seeing how excited these future teachers are. Some enjoy their placements so much that they show up on extra days—even when they don’t have to.

“It makes my heart happy to see people who are so excited to be working with children,” she says. “They want to be in schools, and they want to be teachers.”

Casey’s own path to teaching wasn’t a straight one. Born and raised in Prescott, she attended Prescott High School and Yavapai College before earning a bachelor’s degree in geology from Northern Arizona University. An early interest in education and a job she loved at a Montessori preschool eventually led her back to teaching and a master’s degree in secondary science education.

Her career has included teaching middle and high school science and English in South Korea, leading STEM programs through the Arizona Science Center, working with students on the Navajo Nation, providing teacher professional development, teaching future educators through NAU, and supervising student teachers throughout Yavapai County.

It may sound like a winding path, but it has led Casey right back to what she loves: helping future teachers find their place in the classroom.

09/16/2026

MICTED Fire Science students headed to the Phoenix Convention Center for the SkillsUSA Arizona Fall Leadership Conference, accompanied by Advisor Mike Dougherty! Students spent the day building the skills that turn students into strong leaders and future professionals. Through interactive breakout sessions, they focused on:

🔹 Communication
🔹 Decision Making
🔹 Teamwork
🔹 Planning, Organizing & Management
🔹 Leadership

The conference also gave students the opportunity to participate in activities, hear from speakers, network face-to-face with other SkillsUSA students, and dive deeper into the SkillsUSA Framework and the workplace skills they'll carry into their future careers.
Champions at Work isn't just a slogan—these students are putting it into practice! 💪🔥

09/11/2026

09/08/2026

🌽 76 YEARS OF TRADITION, COMMUNITY & SUPPORT! 🌽

The 76th Annual Corn Dinner, sponsored by Chino Valley High School FFA — Future Farmers of America, brought the Chino Valley community together once again for one of the town's favorite traditions!
This annual fundraiser typically generates an incredible 1,000–1,200 ticket sales, with convenient drive-up service available for supporters on the go.
More than a community tradition, the Corn Dinner is a true example of hands-on learning in action for CTE students. Students put their skills to work, collaborate across programs, serve their community, and gain real-world experience outside the classroom.
Students and organizations helping make the Corn Dinner a success included:
FFA — Future Farmers of America
FCCLA — Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
MICTED Culinary students
Yavapai Cowbelles, who also provide scholarships to Chino Valley students
Proceeds from the event are handled by the Chino Valley FFA Alumni, which distributes funds to FFA and other participating Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs). These funds help support opportunities for students throughout the year.
And an event this size couldn’t happen without generous community support. A big THANK YOU to the sponsors:
K4 Meats — Meat
PepperJacks Restaurant — Forks, knives & spoons
Fry’s — Buns
Sysco Food Distributor
For 76 years, the Corn Dinner has demonstrated what happens when CTE students, alumni, local businesses, families, and community members come together to support Career and Technical Education.
Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket, volunteered, donated, cooked, served, sponsored, or simply came out to support our CTE students!

09/04/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Labor Day Weekend!
MICTED programs will be closed for the Labor Day weekend.
We hope our students, families, staff, and community enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday weekend. Take some time to rest, recharge, and enjoy!
See you after the holiday!

09/02/2026

Why choose Mountain Institute?
-Save on tuition while gaining skills for a high demand career!
-Spend less on education - and start earning sooner!
-Train for a career without taking on years of college debt!

08/28/2026

A powerful reminder of the impact CTE has on Arizona students - creating pathways not only to graduation, but industry credentials, further education, and meaningful careers. These numbers don't just represent student success; they show how CTE is helping build Arizona's future workforce.

08/24/2026

MICTED is proud to recognize the following programs and instructors for outstanding achievement in TSA testing during the 25 through 26 school year! Programs of Excellence:
Fire Science, MICTED/Yavapai College
100% pass rate for all students tested.
Medical Assisting, MICTED/Yavapai College
100% pass rate for all students tested.
Veterinary Assisting - MICTED
Achieved the highest program average in the state.
Culinary Arts - Chino Valley High School
Tested 41 students, the highest number of students tested.
Program of the Year: Culinary Arts, Yavapai College
-100% TSA pass rate.
-Ranked among the top three programs and number of students tested.
-Finished an impressive 12 points above the state average for the 25-26 school year.
Congratulations to our students and instructors for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. These results reflect the outstanding career and technical education happening through our MIC TED programs. We are proud of you. *Programs must have tested a minimum of 10 students to be considered

08/21/2026

Mountain Institute CTED is proud to welcome Lisa French as the new Cosmetology Instructor for the 2026–2027 school year. Lisa brings decades of experience in both the cosmetology industry and career and technical education. Inspired by her early fascination with the salon environment, she pursued cosmetology after high school, later working in the field for 10 years before continuing her education to become an instructor. Her career in education began in 1998 and expanded into more than 20 years of teaching at a CTE high school, followed by an administrative leadership role at EVIT, where she oversaw multiple cosmetology-related programs across two campuses, serving approximately 1,800 students and 32 instructors.

This Mountain Institute CTED program is designed as a multi-year pathway, allowing students to explore different licensing options. In the first year, students focus on foundational skills, practicing with mannequins and peers. By the second year, they transition into a real-world salon environment through an on-site, student-operated salon open to the public, gaining hands-on clinical experience under instructor supervision. Students may then choose to pursue a hairstyling license or continue into a third year to complete full cosmetology training, including hair, skin, and nails.

Lisa, who also serves on the state board of cosmetology, ensures students understand the importance of client safety and industry expectations. She looks forward to creating meaningful connections and inspiring students as they begin their journey into the cosmetology field.

Welcome to the Mountain Institute Family Lisa!