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Category: High School
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Alexandria (VA) CTE Students Watch 1,000+ Aspire Videos, Spend 43 Minutes Per Session
Middle and high school students in Alexandria City Public Schools (Northern Virginia) love Rubin Aspire career exploration videos.
How do we know?
In just two months, the students have watched 1,000+ Aspire career exploration video clips for jobs that include athletic trainer, surgical assistant, lab technician and many more.
What’s more, the average time per session is 43 minutes. That’s right — students in the year 2025 stuck with an online educational product for the better part of an hour.
“For our teachers and students, Aspire fills a gap,” said Sarah Black, CTE and work-based learning specialist in Alexandria. “Students want to see what jobs are out there in the world, and Aspire gives them the opportunity.”
At Rubin, we believe in the power of partnership. We are thrilled that Aspire videos, delivered in Alexandria through the Canvas LMS, allow its CTE program to achieve twin goals of high-quality instruction and career readiness.
Rubin Aspire usage statistics in Alexandria (Virginia) only two months into the 25-26 academic year. 
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin stands with Sarah Black and Dr. Tricia Jacobs, Alexandria CTE director, at a state gathering of CTE administrators in October 2025.. Career exploration all day long.
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MN Business Teacher Relies on Rubin Unit for Entrepreneurship
Chelsea Gasser, a business teacher at West Central Area School District in Barrett, MN, had her lesson plan all figured out.
Her students would learn to create a business plan.
There was only one issue: The students didn’t have a business for the business plan.
That’s where Emerge stepped in. Our signature employability skills curriculum features a unit called “Find Your Big Idea.” Within the unit, students walk through five key steps to developing a workable business idea.
- Activity: Step 1 — Match passion with purpose
- Activity: Step 2 — Understand income and expenses
- Activity: Step 3 — Do a competitive analysis
- Activity: Step 4 — Identify ideal customers
- Activity: Step 5 — Decide on a marketing plan
The five steps take a students through a process in which they identify a hobby or skill they enjoy and then hone the hobby into a product or service that has potential in the market.
Listen to Chelsea discuss how Emerge provided the necessary “pre-work” so her students could build legitimate business plans.
Then book a demo and see Emerge for yourself!
The pre-work before the business plan.
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Rubin Leads Resume Workshop, Kicks Off Engagement with Frederick Co. Schools
There’s nothing more meaningful than meeting face to face.
That held true on two levels during the Senior Expo Experience on Friday, October 3 for Frederick County Public Schools in Winchester (Northern Virginia).
First, we led a resume workshop for 300+ seniors across the district. Rubin Founder Danny Rubin conducted a 15-minute crash course nine separate times as students in small groups shuffled in and out of the session. The workshop focused on how to use numbers to stand out on paper.
For example, it’s more powerful on a resume to include, as a store associate at Target, that you “check out 100 customers per day and 500 per week” rather than only write “store associate.”
The Senior Expo Experience also allowed our team to talk directly with district leadership, including Superintendent Dr. George Hummer, CTE Director George Bishop and School Board Chair Scott Sturdivant. The County now provides our products (ex: Emerge employability skills curriculum) to teachers and students within Google Classroom, and it’s important that school officials top down understand what goes on in the classroom.
At Rubin, we don’t “sell curriculum.” We develop partnerships with school districts so they trust that we are the premier resource for employability skills training. It helps a great deal to shake hands with local leadership so they know who we are.
Our thanks and appreciation to Frederick County Public Schools for having us at the Expo!
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin stands with Frederick County Public Schools CTE Director George Bishop at the Senior Expo Experience, held inside the gymnasium at Shenandoah University. 
Nothing beats face-to-face interaction.
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VA Transition Teachers Rely on Aspire Discussion Questions
When we designed our Aspire career exploration video series, we were careful to provide discussion questions for the video clips three different ways:
- Whole group discussion
- Small group discussion
- Independent worksheet
We are heartened to learn how transition teachers in Roanoke City Public Schools (Virginia) incorporate the discussion questions.
Jennifer McMains from Roanoke Schools explained how she relies on the small group discussion worksheet and cuts out each question like a flash card. She then assigns one flash card to each student.
Roanoke Schools teacher Jennifer McMains (upper left) holds up the Rubin Aspire discussion worksheet as co-teacher Sheilia Rhodes looks on. 
The different options for discussion questions as part of each Aspire career profile. 
Sample discussion questions for certified nursing assistant (CNA) that teachers can cut into flash cards. We want Aspire to be accessible for all students no matter what job they may pursue after high school.
Thank you, Jennifer, for the terrific feedback!
Empowering students to lead the conversation.
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Rubin Leads District-Wide CTE Training in Philadelphia
It was nothing but (brotherly) love on Tuesday, August 19 in Philadelphia.
That’s because the Rubin team attended a back-to-school CTE training day at Kensington High School in downtown Philly to train teachers on our Emerge curriculum for employability skills.
The training, which occurred in the school cafeteria, was fast paced and energetic. Teachers dove into our instruction — which integrates to Google Classroom — and popped up to ask questions and shout out activities they liked (How to not send an email like a text message).
We also had the chance to speak with Superintendent Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Sr. and explain the Rubin resources his teachers will use in the 25-26 academic year.
We are grateful and excited to roll out Emerge across The School District of Philadelphia. Below are photos and videos from the day.
Philadelphia automotive teacher Ben Starcheski reviews a Rubin Emerge activity during a training on August 19, 2025. 
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin smiles with The School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Sr. 
Philadelphia CTE teacher with her Rubin poster! 
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin with several CTE teachers in Philadelphia who hold their new Rubin posters! It was nothing but (brotherly) love on Tuesday, August 19 in Philadelphia. That’s because the Rubin team attended a back-to-school CTE training day at Kensington High School in downtown Philly to train teachers on our Emerge curriculum for employability skills. The training, which occurred in the school cafeteria, was fast paced and energetic. Teachers dove…
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Rubin Team Kicks Off School Year in Miami, NOVA
The Rubin team was on the move the week of August 11 at back-to-school events with CTE teams in Miami-Dade, Florida and Prince William County, Virginia.
Within each school district, we engaged with admins, showed teachers how to access Rubin Emerge and Aspire resources and, of course, passed out Rubin posters!
Here is a selection of photos from the trip.
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin smiles with Miami-Dade County Public Schools CTE Director Dr. Lupe Diaz. 
Miami-Dade CTE teachers discuss ways to use Rubin’s Emerge and Aspire products at the Opening of Schools event. Rubin Founder Danny Rubin poses with Prince William County CTE teachers after his workshop on using Rubin products in Canvas. Up and down the East Coast.
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Rubin Adds 8 New School Partners, Enhances Propel with Scoring System
During the second half of May, Rubin started to work with eight new school districts or tech centers for our employability skills products. The initial users will be advisors of the student group Business Professionals of America (BPA).
The BPA advisors experienced a free sample of Rubin Emerge and Aspire and then decided to purchase the full version for their students in the 25-26 academic year.
The new customers:
1. Vanguard Tech Center in Fremont, Ohio
2. Four County Career Center in Archbold, Ohio
3. West Central Area School District in Barrett, Minnesota
4. Metropolitan District of North Posey County in North Posey, Indiana
5. Moscow School District #281 in Moscow, Idaho
6. Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy in Dallas, Texas
7. Wichita Public Schools in Wichita, Kansas
8. Ovid-Elsie Area Schools in Elsie, Michigan
We look forward to kicking off the relationship in the new school year!
Coming in fall 2025: Scoring system for student emails
Students have written emails for decades, but have they ever received a grade in Gmail for the quality of their emails?
Starting this fall, our Propel email etiquette tool will provide students with a score out of 100 based on their professionalism (see image below).
So when a CTE admin tells you, “Student communication skills are so bad these days,” you can turn around and say, “We have a solution!”
Stat of the week
27.9 points
The nationwide increase in score between Rubin pre- and post-tests for Rubin Emerge units like Email Etiquette-Beginner, Networking Mastery and Job Interview Prep.
The national average pre-test score in Emerge is a 62 (out of 100). The national average post-test score is a 90.
Growth in multiple directions.
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At Prince William Schools Workshop, Rubin is Glue between CTE, EL
On April 24 in Prince William County (Northern Virginia), the Rubin team was part of a day-long workshop with CTE teacher leaders to determine ways Rubin employability content can bridge CTE and English Learners curricula.
Prince William County Schools, the second-largest school district in Virginia, wants to make sure non-native English-speaking students can comprehend and excel at important communication skills for college and career.
Rubin is privileged to be the resource that sits at the intersection of English Learners objectives and the needs of the CTE community.
Prince William County Schools CTE teachers develop a lesson plan that combines a Rubin Emerge activity (ex: How to Leave a Voicemail) with the scaffolding necessary to teach the lesson to a non-native English speaking student. Prince William CTE Supervisor Christine Good said it best from her post on LinkedIn:
“Student achievement begins with adult behaviors.
When the adults in the room share a compelling vision and actively engage in critical thinking, collaboration, innovation, digital citizenship, and demonstrating resilience through their work, the conversations are rich and the outcomes are powerful. This dynamic team of teacher leaders is committed to creating the conditions for student success within and beyond the classroom!
The collaboration between the Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the English Learner (EL) Instruction teams is Learning and Achievement for All in action as we prepare all staff members to support and challenge all students.
Imagine what our classrooms and schools might look like if we shift the conversation from “all students” to “each and every student.” Small shifts leveraging high impact instructional strategies have the power to transform the learning environment for each and every student, every day.
Special thanks to Grant Bradfield, Katie Min, Danny Rubin, and Shawnell Carmichael for leading a packed and impactful day of learning, and a big shoutout to the entire hashtag#PWCSCTE team Sarah Martin, Ph.D., Tim Vaughan, Nasir Ayoub, Danielle Meyer, Benjamin Stodola, and Diana Collins for working tirelessly behind the scenes to make opportunities like this possible.
Looking forward to the 2025-26 school year!”
Rubin Founder Danny Rubin (center) stands with Prince William County Schools (PWCS) Curriculum Supervisor Christine Good (left) and Supervisor of EL Instruction Kristine Lentz-Johnston. Rubin is collaborating with PWCS to connect workplace readiness skills with the needs of English learners. Every student deserve a chance at success.
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Rubin-Trained GA CTAE Student Lands Job During Mock Interviews
Whether it’s a mock interview or an actual interview, opportunities can happen.
That proved true for a Dawson County Schools CTAE student. Dawson County incorporates Rubin’s Emerge curriculum for employability skills into its CTAE curriculum. Students use Emerge units for job interview prep, resumes, cover letters, email etiquette and more.
Dawson County Schools held a day when employers from the community visited the school to help students practice job interviews. One employer, who manages an insurance company, was so impressed with a particular student’s poise and maturity during the interview, that he hired her for an administrative position on the spot.
Mind you, the experience was a mock interview. There was no initial plan for job offers.
The student’s job interview performance speaks to the high-quality instruction students receive through Rubin Emerge.
Kristy Moore, the work-based learning coordinator in Dawson County, believes Emerge made the difference during the mock interview.
Rubin = Job offers.
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Rubin Awards 1,200+ Digital Badges in Sept/Oct 2024
With the 2024-2025 academic year underway, students are busy in Rubin Emerge learning in-demand employability skills.
At the end of each unit (ex: Email Etiquette — Beginner), students take a post-test. Once students pass the post-test, they earn an Emerge digital badge. So far, students have garnered 1,200+ digital badges for email writing, job outreach strategies, networking, resumes and more.
Here’s a snapshot:
- Email Etiquette — Beginner: 383 badges
- Email Etiquette — Advanced: 172 badges
- Job Outreach: 106 badges
- Networking: 86 badges
- Resume Writing: 78 badges
- Cover Letter Writing: 52 badges
Each badge features a QR code that brings the person to this page on the Rubin site. The pages explains the skills students gained to earn the digital badge.
The badges are ideal for a resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile and anywhere else students can showcase skills learned.
Badges abound from Emerge.