By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Tucker County High School CTE Director Billy Shahan updated the Tucker County School Board December 4th on the projects the students have been working on, as well as what certifications the program offers students at the High School.
Shahan outlined the certifications offered to students in various disciplines. In the healthcare fields, Shahad said that the program was working with such partners as Tucker County EMS Training Officer Joe Strait and Cortland Acres. The students were able to achieve certifications in EMT, medical assistant, pharmacy tech, CNA, OSHA 10, HIPPA, first aid, blood borne pathogens, cybersafety awareness and personal financial management, according to Shahan. “Our Allied Health and Therapeutics Service, we’re working with Joe Strait for the students to get their EMT,” Shahan said. “So, then we go to our Administrative Support, which is with Ms. Evans, she’s got the Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft and PowerPoint 2019 certification, Excel and Word Expert 2019 certification, and she is working on the Adobe Certified Associate which is for the Photo Shop Pro.”
The food service program offers students the ServeSafe Food Handlers certification, Shahan said. The program has also completed a number of projects including providing the cookies and cocoa at the US Capitol Christmas Tree tour in Davis. The students have also canned such items as homemade salsa, tomato sauce and corn. The students have also provided a Thanksgiving dinner for the Pro Start program, students and staff, according to Shahan, as well as providing a Christmas Dinner for the Tucker County Courthouse employees. “They catered Christmas Dinner for the Courthouse employees,” Shahan said.
The auto repair department has been working on several projects, according to Shahan. The projects included several vehicles, I-CAR standards and methods, welding of panels and painting. “Collision Repair is in the process of repairing a 1983 El Camino, a 2013 Ford Fiesta and completed the Camero project,” Shahan said.
According to Shahan, the classes have been separating duties depending on task to supply each other with the necessary parts as they are required. This designation of duties, according to Shahan, mirrors how real world repair shops are designed and work together. “The surface students have been mainly in the repair shop wrapping and painting panels needed for the other two classes as they are needed. By combining these duties, they get the feel of how a real collision shop works together,” Shahan said.
Other certifications the Auto students have been working on include three students who are working towards their ASE certification and in the spring the State Inspector will be testing students for the State Inspection License, Shahan said. Shahan also said that the shop has conducted a total of 10 State Inspections this year, as well as five oil changes.
Shahan also outlined to the Board what last year’s students are doing after completing the program. “Last year, we had 46 students that completed in a program,” Shahan said. “Of the 46 students that completed, 22 have gone to post secondary, three are in military, 18 are employed, one is unemployed and two are unavailable.”
Paul Pennington updated the Board on the progress of the Ag and Carpentry programs. Pennington said the department has broken ground on the new Meat Lab. According to Pennington, he hopes to have the building under roof by the end of the school year with a focus on interior work next year. Pennington also said he intends to apply for Modernization grants after the building is complete to update outdated, useless and broken equipment the department currently has. Pennington estimates the project to be around $40,000 of which $25,000 came from grant money and the remainder is funded through Carpentry, FFA and Ag accounts. According to Pennington, the only way the department could afford the Meat Lab was if they constructed it themselves utilizing it as a student project. “The only way we can afford to do this is if we build it,” Pennington said.
One of the more popular items in the shop, according to Pennington is the department’s new Laser CNC machine. “Right now, I have a lot of kids that are really interested in that,” Pennington said.
Pennington also informed the Board of one of his classes’ biggest projects. The students designed and built wood projects as presents for their parents, Pennington said. “They had three weeks to do a project that had to do with construction that they had to present to their parent,” Pennington said. “This year they have to give it to their parent and I want a picture of it and the parent gets to grade 50% of the grade on the project. They turned out real nice. They are really interested in the CNC machine.”
Both Pennington and Shahan said that the shops are available for public projects and repairs. However, due to school regulations, anyone wanting to utilize the departments for projects will need to contact the office in advance. Shahan and Pennington also both discussed that the school has been looking at ways to make access to services easier for the public.