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 17 schools across the city shared their passions and projects.

Whether engaged in cutting-edge technology, finance, culinary arts, hospitality or cosmetology, students and teachers were eager to show off their skills and talk about their schools.

David Barthold, a dental lab technology instructor at Clara Barton HS in Brooklyn, was calmly sculpting teeth in blue wax amid the buzz of the fair. “It’s a tried and true method of teaching people how to make teeth,” he said.

Barthold said attending the fair is an empowering experience for Clara Barton students. “The curiosity of other people validates their knowledge,” he said.

Part of the attraction of the fair, the CTE teachers said, was the chance to see and be seen.

The booth for the Stephen Mather Building Arts and Craftsmanship HS in Manhattan had glossy brochures, yearbooks and a student-made landscape design. The 400-student school teaches four trades through the lens of historical preservation.

“We are here to expose our program to other teachers and other communities,” said Ivette Dobarganes. “We do a lot, but a lot of people don’t know us.”

Isabel Aristy, a CTE instructor for graphics and the coordinator for student affairs at Alfred E. Smith HS in the Bronx, said the fair presented a great opportunity to showcase her school. “The kids do all this hard work and they are able to show it off,” she said. “It’s nice to honor them.”

Standing next to a wheel rim at the Alfred E. Smith HS booth, two seniors and a junior studying automotive technology talked with pride about the thousands of hours of work experience that students attain as part of their studies.

“These internships create that pipeline and connections so as soon as students like us get out of high school, they get a job,” said senior Xavier Molina.