Sparks of creativity: Manteca High CTE students partner with Manteca Fire
Manteca High multimedia teacher James Burns (far left) and several of his CTE students collaborated with the Manteca Fire Department on a variety of social media projects on April 17, 2026. (Photo contributed by Aimee Rubio)
By ELISE DELEO
The Tower
Armed with cameras and microphones and smiles on their faces, the multimedia students from Manteca High School spent the morning at Station One of the Manteca Fire Department.
Peyton McDonald and Tessa King dance in the fire station with firefighter Wes Chamberlain.
Athena Pasion and Alyssia Rubio race around the grounds along Powers Avenue creating a video tour of the facility.
Student photographers Raclif Figueroa and Isaiah Manzo capture the daily life of the firefighters in The Family City.
And then there’s Eli Navarro, the next editor in chief of BuffTV, and Jimmy Burns, both of whom are hunting fresh perspectives. Navarro films "A Day as a Firefighter," while Burns flies a drone.
The Career and Technical Education students from Manteca High answered the call from Aimee Rubio, executive assistant of the Manteca Fire Department, and went straight to the source of all the information to do what they do best: Create content.
While the Manteca Fire Academy tested its students, the Manteca High students, led by instructor James Burns, took over the station and its occupants, capturing videos, photos, articles, and social media content.
Excited like the students, the firefighters got into the spirit of things and gave their all to help showcase the department and, perhaps, inspire new generations.
“I believe partnerships like this play an important role in connecting students with real-world experiences. They help bring classroom learning to life while also giving the community a better understanding of what Manteca Fire does and why it matters. It’s especially meaningful when students can see firsthand how teamwork and service come together in a professional setting,” Rubio said.
Although the idea immediately excited the students, it wasn’t them who came up with the concept of this collaboration, it was Rubio herself.
“I’ve learned a lot from trial and error,” Rubio said, “but I remembered Mr. Burns’ programs (at Sierra and Manteca high schools). ‘Maybe these kids could help me with social media and take it to another level.’ ”
Today, it is more vital than ever for public services to connect with young people. Struggling as they may, they are trying to adapt to the communication methods of newer generations, specifically social media.
They want to show what a typical day looks like, the importance of this work, and break away from the stigmas that can sometimes surround certain public services.
This need for visibility becomes even more important when you consider that the dream job of millions of toddlers around the world often fades with time. Yet, communities need firefighters.
“At the end of the day, we’re your fire department, and we want to make sure that we can help you facilitate your success, whether it is an emergency or just being helpful in the community,” said Battalion Chief Sterrie McLeod. “I think that everything we post and everything the students did today might encourage some folks to look into what we do and maybe aim to spark vocations.”
Although the idea came from the fire department, this day at the station was also an incredible learning opportunity for the Manteca High School students.
“It was a good opportunity for our kids to connect with a city organization and build some professional contacts while using the skills that they’ve acquired in class,” said Burns, now in his fourth year as a multimedia teacher at Manteca High.
These field trips are not just there to test the students' skills. These extraordinary outings are, first and foremost, an opportunity for students to connect with the outside world and their community.
“We were watching all of you buzz around the firehouse and seeing some of the boys put on the pants and jacket, holding the hose, talking with the firefighters, you could see some curiosity and excitement. Putting those kids in real world settings is important because if you’re excited about journalism, sport media or multimedia, it’s important that you understand how it works outside of the classroom,” Burns said.
Tessa King, senior at Manteca High and project manager, also wanted to emphasize the importance of this kind of experience for the students. King has been a member of the multimedia program for two years and has overseen projects like weekly BuffTV segments, Homecoming, and has worked closely with businesses in Manteca and Ripon.
“It gives us an impact on our community. We take our skills outside of the classroom and create important connections for our future professional life,” King said.
The multimedia CTE program at Manteca High always tries to expose its students to real work. In this regard, Burns would like this collaboration to develop over the long term.
“I hope that we can continue to work with the Manteca Fire Department in the future. I think that the kids and the adults involved really enjoyed the experience. I am hoping that I can give our future students more and more of those opportunities.” said Mr. Burns
Projects like these give students at Manteca High School the chance to make a difference in their community, while also offering public services, such as firefighters, an opportunity to connect with the young people in their community.
“I am sure that kids enjoyed it and, for us, having the feedback of this generation on anything to do with social media is key,” Rubio said. “It makes a huge difference.”