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The Colorado Dream Podcast
The Colorado Dream

Career Education: Tomorrow Starts Today

By Stephanie Daniel
Published October 1, 2021 at 2:35 PM MDT
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Wings Over the Rockies: Exploration of Flight in Englewood, Colorado hosted U.S. Drone Soccer鈥檚 first academic tournament in North America last May. Drone soccer was introduced in South Korea in 2016 and has spread to other countries. In the U.S, the esport is both fun and educational. The students build, operate and learn how to fly the customizable drones. They can also practice coding by programming them using open source software.
1 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Wings Over the Rockies: Exploration of Flight in Englewood, Colorado hosted U.S. Drone Soccer鈥檚 first academic tournament in North America last May. Drone soccer was introduced in South Korea in 2016 and has spread to other countries. In the U.S, the esport is both fun and educational. The students build, operate and learn how to fly the customizable drones. They can also practice coding by programming them using open source software.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Westminster High School teammates Khang Tran and Helen Tran check their drones before the start of the U.S. Drone Soccer tournament last May. Both are participating in the high school鈥檚 drone soccer club this semester. The next set of competitions for the esport are scheduled to begin in early 2022.
2 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Westminster High School teammates Khang Tran and Helen Tran check their drones before the start of the U.S. Drone Soccer tournament last May. Both are participating in the high school鈥檚 drone soccer club this semester. The next set of competitions for the esport are scheduled to begin in early 2022.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Westminster High School鈥檚 Drone Soccer team competition in U.S. Drone Soccer鈥檚 first academic tournament in Englewood, Colorado last May. The next set of competitions for the esport are scheduled to begin in early 2022.
3 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Westminster High School鈥檚 Drone Soccer team competition in U.S. Drone Soccer鈥檚 first academic tournament in Englewood, Colorado last May. The next set of competitions for the esport are scheduled to begin in early 2022.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Last spring, Westminster High School sophomore Khang Tran built a drone in his Aerospace Engineering class and competed in a drone soccer tournament. He enjoyed flying drones so much, he鈥檚 taking the school鈥檚 new class, Drone Operations and Robotics this semester. The class will help him prepare to take the Federal Aviation Administration鈥檚 Part 107 exam which will allow him to fly drones commercially.
4 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Last spring, Westminster High School sophomore Khang Tran built a drone in his Aerospace Engineering class and competed in a drone soccer tournament. He enjoyed flying drones so much, he鈥檚 taking the school鈥檚 new class, Drone Operations and Robotics this semester. The class will help him prepare to take the Federal Aviation Administration鈥檚 Part 107 exam which will allow him to fly drones commercially.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Westminster High School student Jos茅 Portillo builds a drone while recent graduate Ezaul Bautista looks on during a Drone Soccer Club meeting. Bautista planned to pursue a career in architecture or engineering but after playing drone soccer last semester, he decided to pivot. He attends Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology and is in the Aviation Electronics program. He鈥檚 also studying to pass the Part 107 test so he can become a commercial drone pilot.
5 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Westminster High School student Jos茅 Portillo builds a drone while recent graduate Ezaul Bautista looks on during a Drone Soccer Club meeting. Bautista planned to pursue a career in architecture or engineering but after playing drone soccer last semester, he decided to pivot. He attends Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology and is in the Aviation Electronics program. He鈥檚 also studying to pass the Part 107 test so he can become a commercial drone pilot.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Former Westminster High School student Iomy Gumaro and her classmate competed in the 2019 SkillsUSA Cybersecurity State Competition. The summer after her sophomore year, Gumaro landed a three-year apprenticeship through CareerWise Colorado to work with an internet services company while going to school. When she graduated from Westy at the end of her junior year, she had earned three computer science certifications. Gumaro is finishing her apprenticeship as an Information Security Engineer Associate. She鈥檚 also studying cybersecurity at Red Rocks Community College and plans to eventually get a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
6 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Former Westminster High School student Iomy Gumaro and her classmate competed in the 2019 SkillsUSA Cybersecurity State Competition. The summer after her sophomore year, Gumaro landed a three-year apprenticeship through CareerWise Colorado to work with an internet services company while going to school. When she graduated from Westy at the end of her junior year, she had earned three computer science certifications. Gumaro is finishing her apprenticeship as an Information Security Engineer Associate. She鈥檚 also studying cybersecurity at Red Rocks Community College and plans to eventually get a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
7 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Former Westminster High School student Myles Rauch (seated) and a classmate participated in a 2020 CyberPatriot competition that tested their cybersecurity skills. CyberPatriot is a national youth education program created by the Air Force Association. As an alum, Rauch now mentors the high school鈥檚 CyberPatriot teams. He helps them learn about IT network systems and how to secure them which he says is a lot of fun. Rauch currently works as a cloud technician for an IT services company. / Stephanie Daniel / KUNC
Westminster High School junior Anita Cordova hands out lemonade during a Wolf Bites catering event for the Westminster Public Schools Foundation. Wolf Bites is the high school鈥檚 student-run food truck. This the second semester Cordova and her classmates in the school鈥檚 culinary program have worked with the truck. During this time they鈥檝e gone from overwhelmed amateurs to seasoned chefs and business operators. When Wolf Bites gets hired to cater community events, the students now get assigned to lead them from start to finish.
8 of 8  — Photos: Tomorrow Starts Today
Westminster High School junior Anita Cordova hands out lemonade during a Wolf Bites catering event for the Westminster Public Schools Foundation. Wolf Bites is the high school鈥檚 student-run food truck. This the second semester Cordova and her classmates in the school鈥檚 culinary program have worked with the truck. During this time they鈥檝e gone from overwhelmed amateurs to seasoned chefs and business operators. When Wolf Bites gets hired to cater community events, the students now get assigned to lead them from start to finish.
Stephanie Daniel / KUNC

鈥淭omorrow Starts Today,鈥� is the slogan for Westminster High School鈥檚 Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. The school offers 13 CTE career pathways that are designed to give students both job training and education to prepare them for future success.

This episode features current and former students from the aerospace engineering and cybersecurity classes who want to work in some of Colorado鈥檚 fastest growing industries.

Watch the Westminster High School Aerospace Engineering program participate in their first U.S. Drone Soccer Tournament here:

The Colorado Dream is a production of KUNC. It was reported, written and produced by Stephanie Daniel with editing and production help from Rae Solomon. KUNC news director Brian Larson is the editor and Jackie Hai is the digital editor. The theme music was composed by Matthew Simonson and other music is by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to KUNC president and CEO Tammy Terwelp, and Jason Gonzalez.

This story was produced as part of the . The Fellowship supports new reporting into issues related to postsecondary career and technical education.

Career Education
Stephanie Daniel
The 鈥淎merican Dream鈥� was coined in 1931 and since then the phrase has inspired people to work hard and dream big. But is it achievable today? Graduating from college is challenging, jobs are changing, and health care and basic rights can be a luxury. I report on the barriers people face and overcome to succeed and create a better life for themselves and their families.
See stories by Stephanie Daniel