Those attending Eden in the Eve last week had a chance to look at college choices. Above, several people took the opportunity to view material from Wallace State.
Alexis Tutton, a junior at St. Clair County High School, gets her blood pressure checked by Tyler Durbin, a senior at SCCHS at last week’s Eden in the Eve. Watching is Health instructor Susan Swindall.
Providing entertainment at last week’s Eden in the Eve was Todd Simpson, left, and his father Wes Simpson.
Matt Loggins is the welding instructor at ECTC. He stands beside a smoker grill his students have built. Loggins said the grill would be available for churches and schools. He added that the boys have done all the work and also built the trailer.
ECTC director Ronnie McFarling said it was another excellent turnout for Eden in the Eve — Open House.
“It is always a challenge to get high school students and their parents to attend events at Eden Career Tech due to the distance, but I was very pleased with the number of parents and students we had here tonight,” McFarling said.
McFarling calls ECTC a hidden gem, and wants citizens to know, “we really are more than just ‘the trade school.’”
“We are constantly trying to market and publicize to parents and students our Career and Technical Education programs,” McFarling said. “They produce strong educational returns, strengthening student engagement in school, achievement in academics and technical skills, and transitions from high school to postsecondary education and from education to careers.”
McFarling feels they are making progress changing some of the misconceptions about CTE.
“A lot of people still think CTE is only for a certain group of students,” he said. “Many people still believe that CTE is only beneficial for students that are academically challenged and are not college-bound. It appears as though this battle will continue as long as parents, educators and administrators are misinformed about the potential long-term benefits that CTE offers our students.
“The only way to change this perception is to spread the word about what 21st Century CTE is, and the opportunities it can provide for students. That is what we are trying to do with events like tonight.”
