Katie Ellington/Mount Vernon News
Colton Readnouer demonstrates equipment in the precision machining lab during KCCC’s Annual Open House. [request]
MOUNT VERNON — The school day had ended but the hallways were full at the Knox County Career Center Monday night. Students, teachers and alumni welcomed prospective students to KCCC’s annual open house event with lab tours, activities and chocolate chunk cookies baked by the culinary arts department.
“This is my zone,” said junior Cade Noel as he hosted guests in the Health Technologies lab. “I’ll come in here and listen to every single word of the lecture and retain every bit of it, because I love it.”
Noel plans to become an air force paramedic after high school. By the time he graduates, he’ll be CPR and First Aid certified and have all the skills he needs for his STNA exams.
He isn’t the only one excited about what he’s learning in class. Superintendent Kathrine Greenich says its common among her students.
“They’re motivated and driven,” she said. “Some knew what they wanted in life before they came here; others come to KCCC and find their passion.”
In addition to recruiting new students, KCCC is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The main school building of what was then called Knox County Joint Vocational Center opened Sept. 3, 1969.
When the school first opened, it offered 15 vocational programs and two adult education programs. It has since expanded its programming to include 19 vocational programs and 17 adult education programs. High school enrollment has grown from 324 students its first year to 615 today.
While the course offerings have expanded, instructors say the curriculum and classrooms have also advanced to keep up with the times. Collision repair instructor Tim Hall has seen the facilities evolve from an empty room with a paint booth to a high tech lab during his 26- year tenure at KCCC. His students work with a computerized, laser-guided frame measuring system, a computerized paint mixing room, a downdraft spray booth with a baking oven and a paint bay. They can also try their hand at plasma cutting and different types of welding.
While KCCC still offers the advantage of hands-on career education, it now offers a full roster of traditional academic classes, allowing students to attend KCCC full-time. They can even get a head start on college.
Tammy Klein serves as an instructor for the CollegeU-Business program. The program allows students to graduate high school with a diploma and an associate degree in business through a partnership with Central Ohio Technical College. Since they are taking college courses while still in high school, they don’t pay for college textbooks or tuition, but the workload is the same.
“They’re full-time college students when they come in as juniors,” said Klein.
Although many of the students are job-ready when they graduate, many choose to go to college. Senior Jamie Smardgeff and her classmates in the precision machining lab are already using lathes, mills and grinders, and even writing, and programming, code. But instructor Dave McGough said many of his graduates go on to study mechanical engineering.
Smardgeff is applying for jobs, but she may continue her studies at North Central State College in Mansfield. She says her experience at KCCC has given her a good base of knowledge for a job or a degree.
“It gives you so many opportunities. It’s an ever-growing field,” she said. “It gives you a foundation for so many different things.”
