On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Christopher Carter, Principal of Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, about what it takes to build a school where students belong, thrive, and graduate with real options. Chris reflects on 30 years in education (27 as an administrator) and the leadership lessons that shaped his approach, especially the idea that schools improve fastest when culture, instruction, and career pathways are treated as one connected system.

Chris shares how his time as a building principal in Magnolia, Arkansas became a turning point in his career-connected learning journey. There, he helped launch an inclusion-focused agricultural CTE class through the Boundless Learning model, giving students with IEPs meaningful, hands-on opportunities that later expanded into programs like animal showing and even a student-run dog grooming class.

Now back in his hometown as principal of Northside High School, Chris leads one of the most diverse high schools in the country: 2,200–2,400 students, 49 home languages, and a school culture built on pride and ownership. Under his leadership, Northside has made a dramatic academic turnaround—rising from a D rating to a B in four years—by shifting expectations, empowering teachers, bringing parents back as partners, and building a stronger sense of belonging across all programs, including CTE.

Key Moments

03:52 "Principal Returns to Hometown School"

08:57 "Love Your School, Give Back"

09:46 "Building Success and Connections"

14:43 "Positivity Through Challenging Days"

18:17 Growing Career Pathways for Students

20:23 Trade School Partnerships and Apprenticeships

22:53 "Streamlined Pathways for Youth Success"

28:03 Surround Yourself With Smart People

29:56 "Chris's Impact on Education"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

A powerful example of how school improvement isn’t just about test prep—it’s about building belonging, pride, and real pathways. You’ll hear how Northside created a student-owned culture that drives academic growth, how CTE programs can elevate every learner (including students with IEPs), and why strong partnerships and early pathway exploration can reshape outcomes in a diverse, high-volume high school.

Connect with Christopher Carter | Principal, Fort Smith Public Schools

Company Website: https://northside.fortsmithschools.org/

Follow Us

Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Jeff Linden, Principal of Hastings High School in Hastings, Nebraska, to explore what career-connected learning looks like in a practical, community-driven district. Jeff introduces Hastings as a blue-collar town of about 25,000 that supports three high schools, with Hastings High serving as the flagship campus in a district that includes five elementary schools, a middle school, and the high school.

Jeff shares his own leadership journey, from teaching and coaching across multiple Nebraska schools to serving eight years in the Army Reserves, before stepping into the principal role (now in his fourth year at Hastings). From there, he breaks down how Hastings High balances college prep with strong career and technical education, emphasizing that success should not be limited to one “correct” path. While college still matters, Jeff argues that industry careers are booming as baby boomers retire, creating real opportunities for students to earn, advance, and build stable lives—often faster and with less debt.

The conversation highlights Hastings High’s growing ecosystem of pathways and work-based learning: resume building, job shadowing, job exploration, paid internships, and community partnerships across healthcare, manufacturing, construction, finance, education, and more. Jeff explains how students move through exploration in junior year and into paid internships in senior year, using real experience to confirm what they want, or just as importantly, what they don’t want before spending money on postsecondary training.

Key Moments

06:20 Career Exploration Through Internships

09:25 Career Paths After High School

12:49 Building Education Pathways Early

15:02 "White-Collar Trade School Model"

19:20 "Passion for Free Education"

21:36 Career Pathways and Local Support

25:55 "Smarter Approach to College"

28:41 "PegasTech: College Alternative Launch"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

A grounded, no-hype look at how a real high school builds career pathways that match its local economy while still supporting college-bound students at a high level. You’ll hear what work-based learning actually looks like in practice, how paid internships help students make smarter decisions before taking on debt, and why the future belongs to schools that treat careers as options—not afterthoughts.

Connect with Jeff Linden | Principal, Hastings Public Schools
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-principal-jl
Company Website: https://hastingspublicschools.org/

Follow Us

Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Brian Riddick, Principal of Butler College Prep in Chicago and a founding staff member of the Noble Schools campus. Brian shares his 13-year journey at Butler, from founding English teacher to launching the school’s college team, and how that experience shaped his approach to helping students connect high school, college, and long-term careers with more clarity and purpose.

Brian explains that at Butler, college is the North Star. With “college” literally in the school’s name, the message starts early and stays consistent through freshman orientation, parent meetings, and ongoing student support. But Brian also emphasizes the importance of “threading” the conversation for students, helping them understand not just that they should go to college, but why it matters, how to make choices along the way, and how those choices connect to the real world.

The conversation dives into Butler’s approach to career exploration through early college seminar programming, strengths and interest assessments, and multiple internship pathways, including partnerships with Genesis Works, Urban Alliance, and a unique summer research internship with Northwestern School of Medicine focused on Alzheimer’s and dementia research in communities of color. Brian and Jeremy also discuss the practical tensions between college prep and career connected learning, including the reality that many students do not have the luxury of time and must think early about earning, debt, and employability.

Key Moments

04:39 "College and Career Readiness Focus"

07:08 Aligning Passions with Career Choices

12:33 "Student Internships and Career Skills"

14:54 "Success Looks Like Me" Origins

19:46 College Prep vs Career Readiness

21:42 "Preparing Students for Next Steps"

25:50 "Lessons from Post-Katrina New Orleans"

29:43 "Supporting Students Through Connections"

30:59 "Reflecting on 13 Years"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

A real look at what it takes to build college going culture while still honoring career realities. You’ll hear how a Chicago principal connects academics, internships, and life skills into a coherent pathway for students, and why alumni support and trust-building matter just as much as GPA and test scores.

Connect with Brian Riddick | Principal, Butler College Prep (Noble Schools campus)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjriddick
Company Website: https://nobleschools.org/butler/

Follow Us

Career High By Pega6

Host: Jeremy Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmith

Pega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/
Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/

About Career High By Pega6

Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.