November 3, 2021: St. Thomas More High School is proud to announce that the school has received a $4,000 grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation to support the continued growth of our Career Education Program. The Packers Foundation awarded grants to 274 Wisconsin nonprofit organizations at a luncheon in the Lambeau Field Atrium on November 2.

While St. Thomas More encourages all students to consider a four-year college, we recognize that many paths exist to professional success and personal fulfillment. Complementing our award-winning, college-preparatory curriculum, the Career Education Program provides interested students with the skills, hands-on experience, and professional certification needed for both immediate job placement and long-term, sustained career success in fast-growing industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and computer science.

“Our career education programs enable STM students to receive certifications in Certified Nursing Assistant and Manufacturing Safety programs,” said STM Dean of Academics Patrick Idstein. “These career education offerings open opportunities for our students to begin working in both the nursing and manufacturing fields while still enrolled in high school, providing workplace experience as students continue to discern their vocation and plans for post-graduate studies and employment.”

S.M.A.R.T. (Safety, Mechatronics, Automation, Robotics, Tools) Manufacturing introduces students to common manufacturing processes, such as mechatronics, computer-aided design (CAD), lathe turning, laser engraving, and 3-D printing. Developed in collaboration with local educational institutions and businesses, S.M.A.R.T. Manufacturing first teaches safety guidelines set by the Manufacturing Skills Safety Council (MSSC) and gives students the opportunity to earn the MSSC’s Certified Production Technician (CPT) Safety Certificate.

Consisting college-level instruction in medical theory held at MATC and clinical hours performed at local healthcare facilities, Nursing Assistant Certification Program prepares students to assist patients with their daily living activities and specialized care needs. After finishing their classwork, on-site responsibilities, and a proficiency exam, students become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), a credential required to work in patient-care facilities.

“We’re proud to award $1 million through our annual Packers Foundation grants this year, after many nonprofits particularly focused on arts, culture, athletics and education experienced continued fallout from the pandemic,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the grantee luncheon. “So many of these organizations need additional support as they work to recover and serve those in their communities, and we are honored to be a part of their critical efforts.”

The Green Bay Packers Foundation now has distributed more than $16.68 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, “as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity.”

To learn more about the Packers Foundation and other organizations receiving funding, please visit packers.com/foundation.