Thomas County Central High School Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator Brandi Miranda’s expertise and skills have won her distinctive region recognition.
Miranda earned Top Gun status during the Career Technical Agricultural Education Work-Based Learning & Youth Apprenticeship Conference in Hall County Oct. 28-30. Only three coordinators from each region receive Top Gun class status.
“I was surprised and excited to be chosen as a part of this year’s Top Gun class,” Miranda said. “Top Gun is a program where the top WBL coordinators from Georgia participate in a specialized training opportunity and are given a chance to compete and show their skills off. Participants will learn to use marketing and public relations toolkits for marketing their programs more effectively. I know I will learn a lot to bring back to benefit our WBL program.”
The yearly CTAE WBL conference gathers coordinators, counselors, administrators, and business and industry professionals to network and gain ideas, Miranda explains.
“By attending this conference, I hoped to gain valuable information to help continue to grow our WBL program here at TCCHS,” she said. “I also wanted to take away new ideas that will continue to improve the program for our students. It is nice to hear other coordinators’ stories and what they are doing with their programs.”
Miranda also attended the conference as a presenter. The state’s WBL program manager, Dwayne Hobbs, asked her to represent the southwest region. Her topic was building and maintaining beneficial partnerships and why these are helpful to schools and communities.
“The presentation included why partnerships are important, how to build these partnerships, and how to maintain them,” she said.
Miranda anticipates implementing conference knowledge gained in marketing the TCCHS WBL program.
“I will take the information I received to help not only market our program to students here on campus but also our local businesses and parents,” she said.
TCCHS CTAE Director Beth Adams is excited about Miranda’s recognition and thankful for her leadership.
"I am glad that others recognize in Brandi what we have always seen in our school system - she is always looking for ways to grow as a professional and is committed to finding ways to support others," Adams said. "She understands the importance of developing partnerships to strengthen our career technical programs and has done a great job at helping our students and teachers make connections with local business and industry. I look forward to the new ideas she will bring back once she completes her Top Gun training."