Judges from across the state take time from their conference at Canaan Valley Resort to tour the Rubenstein Center Tuesday.
DAVIS – West Virginia Judges were gathered at Canaan Valley Resort last week and had the opportunity to visit the Rubenstein Center to see the opportunities offered to the Cadets and the opportunity for them to earn their high school diplomas, high school equivalency while learning a trade in one of the three CTE simulated workplaces at the Rubenstein Center.
Students can choose between three CTE classes as they work to learn their high school diplomas or earn their high school equivalency. During the tour, Cadets in each program explained the programs, what they learn and answered any questions about the training and program.
Judges had the opportunity to see each of three simulated workplaces at the center – the Mt. Top Auto Repair Shop, the Blackwater Construction Company and Rebel Welding. The simulated workplaces set the classroom up like a real working business, where students clock in and out and serve in supervisory positions as they learn.
The mission statement of each shop is to provide students an engaging and relevant curriculum with opportunities to earn state and national recognized certifications.
Cadets in the Mt. Top Auto Repair Shop learn to change, rotate and remount tires, learn the 29 point inspection, learn to replace breaks, learn to replace and resurface rotors, learn to service a transmission, learn to repair engines, learn to repair and/or replace exhaust systems, learn to replace fuel pumps, learn about shock replacement, learn about suspensions, learn to replace the head gasket, learn to recharge and repair AC systems, learn to replace break lines, learn to do alignments and change oil and filters. The instructor is Leroy Myers.
The Blackwater Construction Company has completed many projects including greenhouse tables and flower boxes for Cortland Acres, refuge can covers for the city of Davis, laundry storage units, a bench for the war memorial, a high tunnel for Tucker Valley Elementary/Middle School, a service desk for Mt. Top Auto Repair Shop, a mailroom unit for the Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center, a podium for the Lorrie Yeager Juvenile Center, two outdoor storage buildings, picnic tables for local businesses, four dog houses, shelving for Mt. Top Auto Repair Shop’s tool room, and frames for supervisory charts in all CTE shops.
They are currently working to complete a table for the Parsons City Council, corn hole game boards, entertainment center wall unit, a Blackwater Construction sign and constructing training modules for DRK’s Facility Maintenance class. The instructor is Travis Hamrick.
The Rebel Welding projects include trailers, trucks, building a Jeep, art work, toy motorcycles, signs and engraving. The instructor is Lonnie Dotson.
Tucker County Circuit Judge James W. Courrier Jr. said this is the first time he has toured the Rubenstein Center.
“It’s very impressive,” Courrier said. “Not only are they building skills in things like auto mechanics, but they are also building their communication skills. I was very impressed with their level of ability in conveying what they are doing to us.”
Courrier said there are some teens he would like to send to the Rubenstein Center because it gets them through their education while learning a skill.
“Unfortunately, I don’t get to use it as often as I would like,” Courrier said. “It seems to be a very impressive program.”
West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Allen H. Loughry II said he visited the old Davis Center many times but said this was his first time at the new Rubenstein Center.
“It’s a wonderful facility and something Tucker County should be very proud of,” Loughry said. “Being here and talking with some of the Cadets is a wonderful experience because some of these people had bad situations in their lives – then they come to a facility like this where they have good people who care for them and they have a rare opportunity to change their lives.”
