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Highlands Today

Interest In Career/Tech Classes Building

Marc Valero/Highlands Today.

From left: Avon Park High students Travis Hall, Cameron Velasquez and Becky Moncrief listen Wednesday to building technology teacher Ed Brown at the classroom addition construction site on the school's campus. All three county high schools are looking at ways to expand the career and technical class offerings and opportunities for students.

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: October 16, 2008

AVON PARK - A few steps from their classroom, Avon Park High construction technology students donned hardhats and safety glasses Wednesday to visit the construction site on their campus.

As work progresses on the two-story classroom addition, construction technology teacher Ed Brown points out the materials, techniques and the workers.

"There's a guy who's got a thankless job right there," Brown said, pointing out a worker with a sponge working on the masonry block.

He will rub every joint in the entire building, Brown said. He will also use an edging tool to put a groove in every single mortar joint. He's making eight, nine or $10 an hour.

Senior Becky Moncrief said she wouldn't mind doing it.

Brown replied, "you would get so bored, so fast ... it's not the most challenging part of the job."

After touring the Career Academy at South Florida Community College on Oct. 7 a school board member noted that the high schools have waiting lists for students wanting to take career and vocational classes.
Avon Park High guidance counselor Russ Sharp said there's no waiting list, but he believes there are more students at Avon Park High School who would benefit greatly by having additional opportunities in career and technical education.

"Our population is composed of a lot of kids who may not have the opportunity to go to a four-year college or university," he said. "Many would prefer to have more opportunities in building construction, automotive technology and culinary is very popular."

It would probably be easy to find enough students to fill another culinary arts class, he noted

At least two students plan to work their way through college with their construction skills.

Sophomore Travis Hall said, "I plan on going to seminary school, but I plan on doing this to pay for that."

Moncrief wants to be an elementary school teacher.

"I was looking at construction as a way to pay for college," she said.

Brown said: "I think if she gets in construction work and she's successful, she'll enjoy it."

With specialized equipment, tools and work areas, adding more career and technical classes is not as easy as adding another math class.

Brown has a total of about 85 students.

Because of safety issues, class sizes need to be smaller in a construction tech class compared to a math class, where you don't have saws and chisels, he said.

Doug Thoburn, district coordinator of career/tech education said, Wednesday "there are several kids who would like to come out to the college Career Academy and there are no slots at the college right now.

"All of the principals of all three high schools are looking at ways to expand the vocational courses that are offered at the high schools," he said. At the same time, South Florida Community College Dean of Applied Sciences and Technologies Kevin Brown is looking for ways to expand programs at the college level also.

"So we are looking at several different avenues on how we can increase seats to make more programs available to our students," Thoburn said.

Sharp said, "I think there is a high demand in our area for career- and technology-trained people."

Also, the standard curriculum many times does not interest students who are at risk of dropping out, he said. Their aptitude is geared toward hands-on and active activities such as working on motors or electronics.

Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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