On Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Charlie Zimmerman, Principal of Metamora Township High School in Illinois, to explore how high schools can prepare students for real careers before they graduate. Charlie shares how Metamora’s long-standing commitment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) gives students hands-on exposure to industries like manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, engineering, and computer science while still offering strong academic pathways.

As both the principal and a proud alum of the school, Charlie brings a personal passion to the conversation. From growing up in a blue-collar family to leading the very school he once attended, he explains why career-connected learning matters and how exposure to real tools, real employers, and real projects helps students discover their strengths.

The episode also dives into how Metamora integrates CTE directly into the high school experience, allowing students to take AP classes and work in the metal shop on the same day. From building press box stairs for the school’s softball field to designing new podiums for the auditorium, students are learning by doing while building skills that translate directly into careers.

Key Moments

05:27 Versatile School Ag-Tech Facilities

08:16 Student Credentialing and Employer Collaboration

11:30 "CTE Pathway Drives Graduation Success"

14:14 "Instant Gratification in Education"

19:12 Athlete Dreams to Surgeon Aspirations

21:20 "Reluctant Educator Turned Doctorate"

23:51 "Building Success for Everyone"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

A thoughtful look at how one high school is redefining what preparation for the future looks like. If you care about career-connected learning, hands-on education, or how schools can help students discover their path earlier, this episode offers real-world insight and inspiration.

Connect with Charlie Zimmerman | Principal, Metamora Township High School

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-zimmerman-6588852a7
Company Website: https://www.mths.us/

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Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Kristy Cleppe, Principal of Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, to explore what it takes to build strong career connected learning inside a traditional high school.

Kristy shares her non traditional path into education. She began her career as a financial analyst with degrees in accounting and business administration before moving into teaching business education. That real world background shaped her passion for Career and Technical Education and long term pathway development.

Bettendorf High School serves about 1,350 to 1,400 students in the Quad Cities area. The school is known for strong athletics, fine arts, and a supportive community. Over the last decade, Bettendorf has also leaned into early career pathway development. Iowa data showing declining postsecondary completion rates and a growing number of students choosing alternatives to four year college pushed leaders to rethink how high school could better prepare students for what comes next.

Kristy explains how early partnerships with area high schools and the local community college helped the district design programs that allow students to explore pathways without leaving their building. What began as shared advising evolved into a full career center model that now supports students starting as early as eighth grade.

Key Moments

04:57 Launching the Future Ready Coach model

5:03 "Future-Ready Career Center Evolution"

06:13 Overview of major pathways offered

08:43 "Making Math Relevant Through Applicability"

10:31 Preparing Students for Future Careers

12:42 "Connecting Careers to Core Classes"

15:13 Student reactions to career exposure

17:15 "Bridging Teachers and Administrators"

19:28 "Non-Traditional Teacher Hiring Paths"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode offers a practical look at how to build career connected learning without sacrificing college readiness. Kristy shares how to organize a career center, build strong partnerships, integrate career relevance into core academics, and support non-traditional teachers entering the classroom. It is a clear blueprint for schools that want to give students real options after graduation.

Connect with Kristy Cleppe | Principal, Bettendorf High School

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-cleppe-b49b8546
Company Website: https://www.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/o/bhs

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Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Mitch Gross, Principal of Iowa City West High School in the Iowa City Community School District. Mitch shares how his career started in politics and government before he made the jump into teaching, then leadership. He also breaks down how West High is balancing a highly rigorous academic culture with growing demand for internships, trades, and career exploration.

West High serves about 1,600 students and has been ranked the number one high school in Iowa by U.S. News and World Report for four straight years. Mitch highlights what makes the school stand out. It is a minority majority campus, about 46% white, with a 32% poverty rate. Students and families speak 17 languages. Mitch says the school aims to reflect the real world and treats diversity as a strength.

The conversation also digs into post COVID shifts. Mitch points to attention span, lingering academic gaps, and a new need to reset expectations around attendance and showing up even when you do not feel great. He notes that behavior and culture are stabilizing, but academic impacts may last for a full generation.

On career connected learning, Mitch shares how West High is expanding internships for credit, leveraging proximity to major healthcare institutions, and building stronger partnerships with a top tier community college system. He also discusses a key challenge. With a traditional 7 period day, students often have more interests than scheduled slots. That creates tradeoffs between core requirements, electives, and work based experiences.

Key Moments

03:05 Rise in Lax School Attendance

08:37 Educational Diversity in Iowa

11:25 "Rethinking Career Paths and Trades"

14:21 Shift in Attitudes Toward College

18:39 Career Academies and Dream Accelerator

19:33 Junior Achievement Career Readiness Program

25:04 Beyond Traditional Education Systems

27:24 "Schools as Society’s Safety Net"

30:37 Education Systems: Stagnation Across Borders

Why You’ll Love This Episode

You will hear a practical view of what career connected learning looks like inside a high performing, university town high school. Mitch shares real tradeoffs around scheduling and graduation requirements, plus what has worked to expand internships, dual credit, and exposure to careers without weakening strong academic outcomes. The episode also gives an honest look at what changed after COVID and what schools are still rebuilding.

Connect with Mitch Gross | Principal, Iowa City Community School District

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-gross-b0023a3a1
Company Website: https://west.iowacityschools.org/

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Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.