CDE Field Trip -- 2/20/25: Holyoke School District provides example of how to invest in its community

In the tiny Holyoke School District on Colorado’s eastern border with about 500 students, Superintendent Kyle Stumpf and his team have expanded career and education opportunities through the Holyoke Homegrown Talent Initiative. The program offers hands-on learning through internships, trade certifications, and over 70 college-level courses. Students gain real-world experience in fields like healthcare, welding, business, and education, preparing them for both local jobs and higher education.

Recently, Dr. Margarita Tovar, CDE’s chief talent officer, sat down with Stumpf in a District Spotlight video chat to talk about the district’s work. Tovar and others from CDE visited the district recently to see the work in person. Students spoke about how these opportunities shaped their plans. One student shared, "I used to think I had to leave Holyoke to find success, but now I see I can build a future right here."

By aligning education with workforce needs, Holyoke is helping students develop the skills and connections they need to succeed, whether they choose to stay in the community or pursue careers elsewhere. The district’s efforts demonstrate how rural schools can create strong pathways for student success.

Additionally, like most rural districts, the district has been challenged to recruit and retain teachers. Stumpf said providing positive exposure to teaching is key. “If our teachers speak highly of their profession, it encourages students to consider education as a career path,” he said. 

Holyoke provides internship opportunities for students interested in teaching in elementary and high school classrooms, where the students do more than just grade papers. “They actively engage with younger students,” he said. “Additionally, we partner with the Haxtun School District, which offers a comprehensive early childhood teacher preparation program.”

The district’s grow-your-own programs include supporting paraprofessionals in obtaining licenses through Northeastern Junior College and the University of Colorado, using alternative licensure pathways, and encouraging high school students to stay for a fifth year and take education-focused college courses.

He noted that a vice principal recently observed a local parent teaching vacation bible school and thought she had great teaching skills. The parent is now going through the Alternative Licensure program to be a fifth-grade teacher.  

Holyoke’s initiatives are examples of how rural communities can continue to invest in their youth and their futures.