The dynamism of New York City’s career and technical education high schools was on display at the exhibit hall during the conference. Teachers and students from 25 schools throughout the city shared their passions and projects.

Whether engaged in cutting-edge technology or aviation, transit, finance, culinary arts, cosmetology, fashion or business, students and teachers were eager to talk about their schools.

“I believe in my students,” said Leslie Simmons, who teaches welding and robotics at Aviation HS in Queens. Simmons said that his students have told him that they’ve helped their parents purchase a home or retire based on what they learned at the school.

“He pushes you to try; ‘just care’ is his motto,” said student Jimmy Sun, a senior who is getting his second license for aviation maintenance at the school and has a full scholarship to college next year.

At the booth for the Academy of Finance and Enterprise in Queens, students were busy handing out their business cards as teacher Janina Morones explained the internships and work-based learning opportunities available to students at the school.

“It exposes them to the real world,” she said.

— Cara Metz