The Optimist Club of Lynchburg in partnership with Areva NP Inc., honored 11 Lynchburg City School students at their 14th Annual Recognition of Career-Technical Education Students in February.
“The purpose of the program is to recognize high school students for their positive achievements while enrolled in the Career-Technical Education Program in the Lynchburg City Schools,” said Optimist Club President Al Biggio.
Eleven students were presented award certificates, medallions and gift certificates during the ceremony. CAPT Jim Ransom, US Navy, retired, was the event’s guest speaker. Ransom shared parallels with technical training to his service as a submarine commander, and now a Project Manager with Areva in Lynchburg. He encouraged students to not only master technical skills, but to continue improving and diversifying themselves. “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse,” he said.
Lynchburg City Schools Career-Technical Education Supervisor for Instruction Ed Dellinger applauded the students’ achievements and thanked the community for their support. “Having community partners such as Areva and the Optimists take an interest in our programs not only helps the students themselves but the community as a whole. We’re all very appreciative of this partnership.”
E. C. Glass and Heritage high schools currently host 18 programs including Automotive Service Technology, Building Trades, Business/Finance, Computer Systems Technology, Cosmetology, Dental Careers, Cooperative Technical Education, Marketing, Precision Machine Technology, Technology Education, Nurse Aid, Culinary Arts, Engineering/Nuclear Technology, Sports Medicine, Air Force JROTC, and Marine Corps JROTC. A new Criminology program is slated to begin next Fall.
Students honored include:
John Burford, ECG - AF JROTC
Roger Campbell, HHS - Building Trades
Alexis Johnson, HHS - Marketing
Molly Lawhon, HHS - Communications Systems
Campbell Lowe, ECG - Nuclear Technology
Christopher Michael Osen, HHS - USMC JROTC
Nicholas Rankins, HHS - Computer Systems Technology
Olivia Revely, ECG - Health Occupations
Nora Strickland, ECG - Culinary Arts
Hunter Williamson, HHS - Automotive Service Technology
Sam Winters, ECG - Engineering