By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
HAMBLETON – In the recently released WV Council on STEM education report, findings indicate that West Virginia is expected to add more than 25,000 STEM jobs by 2018. The administration and staff at Tucker County High School does not take those facts lightly, and they have been working diligently over the last few years to make sure they are prepared to make students ready to fill some of those jobs.
TCHS Principal Jay Hamric has worked with teachers to secure grants and make sure instructors have the equipment, time and training to bring the education to the students helping them be prepared for the future. Hamric has worked with the BOE to fulfill the instructor’s request to bring TCHS to block scheduling, allowing for students to have time to delve deeper into their subjects and allow time for them to be more organized and better suited for the future.
On May 12, TCHS staff members met with a wide variety of community members to share the school wide vision of becoming a WV STEAM school. Presentations were made to let residents know of new courses that will be offered at TCHS including Energy & Power, Engineering, Computer Science, Physics and Introduction to STEAM.
During that meeting, AmeriCorps Vista Volunteer Stephen Strothers demonstrated a newly purchased Phantom 4 drone.
“The drone is one piece of newly purchased high tech equipment that will be part of the Tucker County High School’s Makerspace,” Hamric said. “The Makerspace is designed for students to think critically, innovate and create new products and original ideas using cutting edge technology.”