CTE Non-Traditional and Gender Equity Program

Kathy Wooton is honored as the teacher that has succeeded in helping all students achieve their goals regardless of stereotypes of traditional roles. Mrs. Wooten teaches in a non-traditional field and has made a significant effort to engage female students in the non-traditional programs such as coding, drafting and software development. The program at Skyline High School had been nearly 100% male until the intentional effort was implemented to target female students for enrollment. In just one year she has increased the female percentage to 25. In addition to recruiting females she started a club this year called Girls Who Code and it has been incorporated in all Mesa Public Schools.

Kathy Wooton works with the community colleges to prepare her students for the next steps in their learning. Her courses currently provide the opportunity to earn duel credit as well as AP Credit. She also participates in Girls Get It thru Mesa Community College. In addition, Kathy was invited by ASU to teach a class to 5th and 6th grade students who have an interest in coding. ASU will also offer a class to girls specifically who want to code. She participates with business and industry in advisory meetings where she can share Best Practices for the classroom. Kathy has worked with the Arizona CTE Curriculum Consortium preparing materials for Arizona. Kathy Wooten has set the bar high for all to achieve teaching the best for stereotypes of traditional roles.