PRJUSD Celebrates 34 Future Educators Completing Dual Enrollment Pathway

By Staff Report · Mon Jun 08 2026

PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles Joint Unified School District recently honored 34 Paso Robles High School seniors for completing the Cuesta College Dual Enrollment Child Development and Education Pathway, a Career Technical Education program designed to prepare students for careers in education.

The inaugural recognition ceremony was held on May 11 at the North County Campus of Cuesta College and celebrated students who completed college-level coursework, classroom experience, and early childhood education training while still in high school.

Paso Robles students joined 17 students from Atascadero High School to celebrate the milestone and their shared goal of pursuing careers in education.

The event featured keynote speaker Ceci Martinez, a former Bearcat who completed the same pathway as a high school student and now teaches first grade at Virginia Peterson Elementary School.

“The students light up when they see the high schoolers step into the classroom,” Martinez shared.

Through the pathway, students earn transferable college credit through Cuesta College’s College and Career Access Pathways program while gaining hands-on experience in educational settings. Graduates are eligible to apply for an Assistant Teacher Permit through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and may continue their training through the SLO Partners Ticket to Teach Apprenticeship Program.

"This is an exciting moment for our CTE Education pathway," said Megan Cannon, PRJUSD College and Career Coordinator.  "Seeing 34 of our seniors ready to enter the workforce or continue their education with a professional permit in hand is a testament to the strength of our community partnerships and the dedication of our students and staff.”

District officials said the ceremony marked the first formal celebration of the longstanding partnership between local schools and higher education institutions aimed at developing the next generation of educators from within the community.