This month, we're highlighting four outstanding CTE teachers, starting with Michelle Kunde. A first-year educator with an impressive professional background, Kunde has been instrumental in advancing the school's career readiness initiatives. With over 20 years of leadership experience in Supply Chain Management, including roles at Fortune 100 companies overseeing warehousing, transportation, and large-scale operations, she transitioned to education to prepare students for the evolving workforce.

At Battle Creek Central High School, Kunde teaches Accounting, Business Computer Applications, and School Store Management. Her programs emphasize hands-on learning, ensuring students graduate with competencies directly aligned to business, logistics, and finance careers.

You may have heard of the Roar Store; if you haven't, it is a student-run retail space managed as part of Michelle Kunde's School Store Management course. In the store, students are taught best practices in inventory handling, marketing, customer service, and financial operations. This year, they took on projects like rebranding the store and launching the "Small Gifts, Big Gratitude" campaign, which was created to build stronger connections within the community.

In her Business Computer Applications class, students learn industry-standard tools such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Meanwhile, Kunde's Accounting classes demystify financial literacy, connecting textbook concepts to personal finance management and career pathways in business.

Michelle's classes are all about setting up our Bearcats to be not only career-ready but also life-ready. Nationwide, 35% of high school graduates lack proficiency in Microsoft Suite tools (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020) and 78% feel unprepared to manage their finances (National Endowment for Financial Education, 2022). Courses like these bridge critical gaps, ensuring students are equipped with the skills they need to succeed after graduation.