STORIES
Student Success Stories, Partner Stories & Organizational Updates
Sonoma Clean Power and CTE Foundation Expand Free STEM Kit Access
Sonoma Clean Power (SCP), the public power provider for Sonoma and Mendocino counties, and the Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation are expanding hands-on clean energy education through a free STEM Kit Lending Library now available to middle and high school teachers throughout the region…
Built to Last: 80 Years of Friedman’s Home Improvement
For 80 years, Friedman’s Home Improvement has done more than sell lumber and hardware. We sat down with third-generation owner Barry Friedman to talk about family, trust and why investing in Sonoma County’s next generation of builders is, in his words, “in our blood.”
Who Will Care for Sonoma County’s Future Patients?
This summer, 26 students crossed the stage at Fox Pacific Academy, marking the completion of their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training and the beginning of something much bigger: a future in healthcare in Sonoma County…
What Happens When Local Industry Opens Its Doors to Students?
In 2025, at CTE Foundation’s annual event, Spark the Future, we offered a live auction item that centered around a student-designed and student-supported dinner experience. Mark and Terri Stark, owners of Stark Reality Restaurants, placed the winning bid. But instead of simply receiving the experience, Mark and Terri came back with a different idea…
Sutter Health and CTE Foundation Partner to Strengthen Health Career Pathways for Sonoma and Lake County Students
Not-for-profit Sutter Health and Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation Sonoma County are proud to announce a new partnership, supported financially through a County Medical Services Program (CMSP) grant, to strengthen education-to-career pathways in Health Sciences for students in Sonoma and Lake Counties…
Inclusive By Design: Five Key Strategies for Inclusion and Belonging
On November 7, 2025, in partnership with Beyond Equity in Education, CTE Foundation hosted Inclusive By Design, a workshop for employers and mentors focused on creating internships where all students feel welcomed, supported and empowered to thrive…
Santa Rosa High is Building Futures with Connected Learning in the Trades
Connected learning gives students exciting ways to pursue their ambitions. At CTE Foundation, we believe in the power of targeted investment to spark change, transforming our education system into an accelerator for student empowerment and economic growth. Sometimes, a relatively small grant can act as a catalyst, setting off a chain reaction that embodies our core idea…
Foundations from Across the Country Convene in Santa Rosa to Address Skilled Trades Education and Training
Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation of Sonoma County proudly hosted the first-ever in-person convening of the Skilled Trades Funders Kitchen Table, welcoming approximately 19 funders from across the nation to collaborate on the growing importance of skilled trades education and workforce development. This convening was led by the Smidt Foundation and Harbor Freight Tools for Schools…
10,000 Degrees and CTE Foundation Announce Formal Partnership to Support Students’ Higher Education and Career Pathways
10,000 Degrees and Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation are excited to announce their formal partnership to support students enrolled in a two-year career readiness program. This partnership builds on the two organizations’ long-standing collaboration and shared mission of supporting student success in pursuit of higher education and careers…
News Release: CTE Foundation to receive $1 million grant to expand North Bay Construction Corps
The Career Technical Education Foundation Sonoma County has been approved for a $1 million grant from Tipping Point Community, a prominent Bay Area funder that fights poverty in the Bay Area, to support expansion of a successful local youth training program called the North Bay Construction Corps…