3M and Heart of America partner with Monroe High to build future workforce

What first looked like a spam email turned out to be one of the most significant upgrades Monroe High School’s Career and Technical Education program has received.

On Dec. 10, 3M and Heart of America unveiled three newly renovated career and technical classrooms. Updated classrooms for electrical trades, advanced manufacturing and mechatronics were funded by a $246,500 donation from 3M and designed in partnership with Heart of America. This project provides students with access to modern equipment and hands-on training for high-demand careers.

“The Future Makers Labs focus on turning outdated shop rooms into career-launching spaces,” said Jill Hardy Heath, president and CEO of Heart of America. “These modern, reimagined learning environments give students access to real-world tools and skills that translate directly into opportunity and support workforce readiness.”

A teacher’s vision backed by support

Electrical trades teacher Kevin Kitchen, the 2025 UCPS Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year, has spent decades teaching students how to translate skills into stability. For years, his passion outpaced the technology in his classroom. Old smartboards stopped responding, software updates were no longer available, and even simple tasks became challenging.

“Not only does this lab give our students tools, but it builds their confidence,” Kitchen said. “When students walk into this space, they feel like professionals in training. It changes how they see themselves and what they believe is possible for their future.”

Principal Shannon Batchelor said the upgrades strengthen an already exceptional program.

“We are consistently recognized as the top electrical trades program in the state based on metrics monitored by the North Carolina Department of Career and Technical Education,” Batchelor said. “That success is not an accident. It's a result of a very dedicated educator, hardworking students, and unwavering support from our community and industry partners. Programs like ours matter deeply to students. Our program is strong because we do not do this alone. Our daily partners like Hargett Electric, Starr Electric and Watson Electrical make this possible.”

The renovation process moved quickly once Monroe High confirmed the offer wasn’t a scam. By late July, design meetings were underway. By December, teams from Illinois, Tennessee and Minnesota had flown in to help install equipment and finalize the space.

The upgrades were both thoughtful and practical, designed to create a flexible, hands-on learning environment that reflects the modern workforce students will enter:

• Aesthetic and inspirational touches: Vibrant paint, custom graphics and 3M window film to brighten and modernize the labs.
• Classroom functionality: Refinished flooring, mobile worktables, new storage and shelving, an interactive smartboard, updated whiteboards and a mobile teacher desk and podium to support collaborative instruction.
• Shop enhancements: New worktables, four drop-down power reels, pegboard systems, upgraded lighting, updated storage systems and a reorganized storage room to mirror real-world trades setups.

Finding her own path

Senior Katara Miller said being the only girl in both of her electrical courses is not a barrier; it’s a motivator.

“I didn’t grow up thinking about being an electrician because not a lot of women do trades,” Miller said. “Mr. Kitchen pushed me because he said they need more women in the trade. It made me feel like I belonged here.”

Miller had planned to become a paramedic and even took emergency medical technician classes at a community college. But she realized the field wasn’t the right fit.

“It wasn’t fulfilling to me,” she said. “I think you should do what you want to do, not what society wants you to do.”

She is now preparing to join the Army as an aircraft electrician after graduation.

“I’m kind of scared of boot camp,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s a mental game. I’ll be fine.”

A career after graduation

Isaias Leyva, a 2024 Monroe High graduate, entered the program unsure of his future. He enjoyed hands-on work and considered plumbing, but Kitchen’s teaching steered him toward electrical trades.

“The way he explained everything just made it click,” Leyva said.

Hargett Electric visited Kitchen’s class during Leyva’s senior year. The company trusted Kitchen’s recommendation enough to offer Leyva a job before he graduated. He worked in the shop after school, learning materials and processes, and was hired full-time after graduation.

“It gives you a sense of peace,” Leyva said. “A lot of people don’t know what they want to do. I graduated, started working and realized it was the right place for me.”

Leyva said the company culture stood out most.

“They make you feel like family,” he said. “You’re not just another number.”

A partnership with purpose

For Kitchen, the renovated labs strengthen what he can offer students. Updated smartboards let him move around the room while teaching. Separate workstations help him manage instruction and administrative tasks without interrupting lessons. Most importantly, the space now reflects the industry that the students will enter.

“Students graduate on Monday and go to work on Wednesday,” Kitchen said. “This program gives them the skills, the confidence and the connections to do that.”

Preparing the workforce the industry needs

The Future Makers Labs represent more than an upgraded classroom. It signals a commitment to helping students build secure careers in fields where demand continues to grow.

For Miller, the labs helped her discover a path she didn’t know existed.

For Leyva, they offered a direct line into the workforce.

For Kitchen, they validate years of teaching students that meaningful work is within reach.

These spaces are more than renovations; they are launching points for students ready to step into North Carolina’s and the nation’s future workforce.