50 students in Middleton High School’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program presented to business leaders, MCPASD teachers and administrators, and parents at the Madison Public Library on Jan. 16.
The CAPS program immerses students in a professional environment to tackle real-world problems under the guidance of experienced mentors. This semester, CAPS students worked with nine businesses: Tribe 9 Foods, Fetch Rewards, Marketini Media, REACH-A Child, MSAN, Madison Mallards, Mighty Middleton Scholarship, Middleton United, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Representatives from several of the businesses attended students’ presentations, including Tribe 9 Foods Project Manager Margo King. She worked with CAPS students throughout the semester, starting with their pitch for ideas for a gluten-free pasta flavor during the second week of school.
“I was so impressed with how quickly they put together their presentation,” King said. “They are professional, and they come back quickly with thoughtful responses when we have questions for them.”
CAPS Business Solutions Instructor Brian Zimdars noted that the CAPS program is different than a traditional classroom model.
“Students have hard deadlines set by businesses,” Zimdars said. “They need to meet their deadlines for projects and presentations to employees.”
The CAPS Showcase is dedicated to celebrating students’ achievements and growth throughout the semester. The showcase included students in four of the program’s strands: Business Solutions, Science Research and Design, Digital Media Marketing, and Communications for Business & Industry.
The CAPS Tribe 9 Foods team – seniors Joey Passaglia, Patrick Passini and Stephen Tchikida and junior Gabe Tiller Jhagroo – highlighted what their key learnings this semester. Team members said they’ve strengthened their public speaking skills, learned how to dress for presentations, and learned the importance of shaking hands and making eye contact when interacting with others.
The Fetch Rewards team – seniors Ben Bush, Brady Vondrak and Micah Thor and junior Ananya Cintham – also shared their learnings. They discussed learning how to leverage students’ skills from different CAPS strands and the importance of delegating tasks among team members to successfully collaborate on projects.
“I am incredibly proud of our student associates, especially as I watch their confidence grow in storytelling and public speaking,” said CAPS Program Coordinator and Instructor Shane Leadholm. “It is extremely rewarding to help them explore their passions and future career paths, and help them gain skills that will be helpful in life after high school.”
Leadholm is excited about the growth of the CAPS program, which is open to juniors and seniors. It grew from 30 students last year to 80 this year.
The program recently introduced an advisory committee of area industry leaders, Middleton High School faculty and students, and District administrators to provide guidance and direction for the program.
“The development of the CAPS Advisory Committee and the formalization of our Student Ambassador program have been incredibly rewarding milestones,” Leadholm said. “These initiatives have truly strengthened the foundation of our program this year.”
The showcase highlighted the strength of the partnership between the CAPS program and local businesses.
“Thank you to all of our amazing community partners and program advocates who help make this program a success,” Leadholm said.
Learn more on the CAPS program’s website.