Ritz: Referendums needed to fund public education until state legislature changes

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, left, watches dental assistant student Sami Pardinek, of Whiting, during a class Wednesday at the Area Career Center in Hammond.

Ritz: Referendums needed to fund public instruction until state legislature changes

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, right, gets a tour of the Area Career Center in Hammond by Principal and Director of Career and Technical Education Mike Zimmerman on Wednesday.

Ritz: Referendums needed to fund public education until state legislature changes

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, left, meets Hammond schools employees Heather Paskis and Mary Beth Nickolaou, right, before speaking Wednesday at the Area Career Center in Hammond.

Latino students, adults stage protest at Hammond Area Career Center

HAMMOND | A group of Latino students who left Clark High School during classes Wednesday morning staged a protest across Sohl Avenue from the Hammond Area Career Center, where Glenda Ritz, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, was talking with administrators and teachers.

Ritz: Referendums needed to fund public education until state legislature changes

Referendums to add money to shrinking public school budgets, such as those held Tuesday in Lake and Porter counties, will be the wave of the future as long as the Indiana General Assembly controls funding.

Area Career Center Students compete in Take Off for SkillsUSA State Competition

HAMMOND | The Area Career Center students will have the chance to challenge their program and practical knowledge and abilities at State SkillsUSA, a Career & Technical Education competition in Indianapolis on April 19 & 20th. Students represent 11 local high schools, (Calumet, Clark…

13 schools participate in 13th annual Lego competition in Hammond

Students from Clark Middle School David Gill, left, and Nadine Williams compete in the First Lego League robotics competition Saturday at the Hammond Area Career Center.

13 schools participate in 13th annual Lego competition in Hammond

Judges Rina Horgan, from left, Sarah Michna and Ryan Eckart get ready for the First Lego League robotics competition Saturday at the Hammond Area Career Center.

13 schools participate in 13th annual Lego competition in Hammond

Students from St. John the Baptist School watch their team compete Saturday in the First Lego League robotics competition at the Hammond Area Career Center.

13 schools participate in 13th annual Lego competition in Hammond

Students from Whiting Middle School cheer for their team in the First Lego League robotics competition Saturday at the Hammond Area Career Center.

Schools, trades strive to connect students with jobs

Lake Central High School student Kyle VanHouten, 17, of St. John, practices an overhead angle weld Monday during his industrial maintenance welding class at the Hammond Area Career Center.

Schools, trades strive to connect students with jobs

Lake Central High School student Kyle Van Houten, 17, of St. John, practices an overhead angle weld Monday during an industrial maintenance welding class at the Hammond Area Career Center.

Schools, trades strive to connect students with jobs

Protective coveralls hang in the industrial maintenance and welding class Monday at the Hammond Area Career Center. Students use the gear when welding, grinding and using cutting torches to avoid burning their clothing.

Schools, trades strive to connect students with jobs

Students wire a three-way switch to a ceiling fan Monday during a construction technology class at the Hammond Area Career Center.

Schools, trades strive to connect students with jobs

Lake Central High School student Sarah Jones practices sweating copper pipe Monday in Scott Ciupak's construction technology class at the Hammond Area Career Center. High school guidance counselors from Lake and Porter counties toured apprenticeship training centers Wednesday to learn more a…

Area Career Centers to hone focus on job 'pathways'

HAMMOND | The classes and programs offered through Area Career Centers are just as rigorous as ones offered in local high schools.

Hammond Career Center seeks to boost draw from city

HAMMOND | The new principal for the Hammond Area Career Center is increasing the number of career pathways offered to teens in hopes of attracting more students.

Area Career Center students head to national health careers tourney

HAMMOND | A total of seven health careers students at the Hammond Area Career Center are headed to a June national tourney in California for the Health Occupations Students of America competition.

Area Career Center students head to national health careers tourney

Students from the Hammond Area Career Center who competed at a state health careers tourney are pictured. In the first row, from left, are Caroline Blaudin, Lake Central High School; Viola Long, Gavit High School, and Sara Wagner, Lake Central. In the second row are Victoria Balicki, Lake Ce…

Area Career Center students head to national health careers tourney

Hammond Area Career Center students, from left, Dejonette Kimbrough, Alysa Berg and Joe Neveitt, all of Munster High School, recently competed at a state tourney for health careers students.