GJHS visits CMU Tech

CMU Tech opens their campus to students to explore what their hometown trade school has to offer

Ashlyn Baker, Reporter • January 24, 2025

GJHS students explore what CMU Tech offers during a recent tour.

High schoolers are often plagued by the question: what’s next?

Grand Junction High School is working to make sure students are exposed to every career option before they have to decide what to do with their futures. Career and college exploration is a program that has been organized by District 51 for an estimated 5-10 years, according to Jilleeann Warinner, the GJHS career and college advisor, whose position is funded by CMU. She has been working at GJHS for two years and was previously a substitute teacher.

Every high school in the valley allows students to visit CMU and CMU Tech campus, located in Grand Junction, as well as other local colleges. The most recent tour held on Thursday, Jan. 16, provided an opportunity for freshmen and sophomore class students to discover what programs are available to them specifically at CMU Tech and what they could do with a degree or certificate from a trade school.

Warinner said, “The school district and CMU [Tech] have a great partnership.”

The GJHS underclassmen were the last D51 school that CMU Tech hosted for the campus tours. Students filled out a survey concerning their interests, putting them in a tour group that would give them the best opportunity to learn about the careers they want to pursue.

“[The tour] was super fun and very influential,” said GJHS freshman Airiana Henderson.

Tours were led by college students currently enrolled in a CMU program. Every class went into depth about what was needed to both apply and complete the class.

“There are a lot of different options,” said GJHS freshman Jazlin Timmens, on what she thought CMU Tech brought to the table.

CMU Tech offers more than 30 certifications and associate degree programs. These can be started by students as early as freshman year. Careers in fields such as Culinary Arts, IT, medicine, construction trades, engineering, and much more can be acquired from anywhere between an eight-month to two-year program. This field trip offered a chance for underclassmen to consider what their goals, plans, or talents are for the future.

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About the Contributor

Ashlyn Baker, Reporter

Ashlyn Baker is a freshman at GJHS and a reporter for the Orange & Black student newspaper. This is her first semester on the Orange and Black and is looking forward to improving my reporting skills and being more involved in school events. She enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and listening to music.