‘Ranger Tech’ receives $125,000 grant

The program brings in industry professionals in each area to assist students with skills labs by providing a hands-on approach to learning, development and assessment. By utilizing the rich resources of community professionals, the program goes beyond the usual relationship between students and teachers and enhances the learning experience for all students.

The goal of Ranger TECH is to provide Dufur High School students with opportunities to pursue living wage jobs after graduation and be able to enter apprenticeships and trade schools with a better base of knowledge than their peers.

For the 2021-2022 school year, Ranger TECH Program Coordinator Leona Egeland has provided opportunities for Dufur High School students to participate in each of the TECH training areas, including construction work, electrical labs with IBEW 280 and the Central Electrician Training Center, and vital signs and measurements labs with health services.

These and other initial skills labs create the core framework for Ranger TECH, while developing the critical infrastructure for the program’s future, the press release stated.

The grant, in addition contributions from John Dillon and in-kind donations from program partners, will allow the school to pay for supplies, staffing, training, and curriculum development for the 2022-2023 school year and further expand the skills labs and pathway options at appropriate levels for mid-level and elementary students.

Building on the programs initial success, future plans include bringing The Baker Technical Institute (BTI) to Dufur for summer school in June to provide instruction for Heavy Equipment Operation, Pre CDL-Training, Road Flagger Certification, and Construction First Aid.

As additional partners and resources are added, Egeland and her team will continue to build out an even more robust curriculum.

Additional grant funding and contributions from our trade partners are being pursued, as well as donations from the community through the Ranger Pride Education Foundation and the Ranger TECH Fund. It is the goal of the Dufur School Board of Directors to build Ranger TECH into a core curriculum program with supplemental offerings through BTI on an annual basis.

To learn more about Ranger TECH Fund or to provide financial support for the Ranger TECH CTE Program, visit www.rangerpride.org or contact Dufur School at 541-467-2509.