ECTA goes to D.C.
The Adair County School Board recognized the Energy Career Technology Academy students at its meeting on Thursday for its success over the past year.
The academy recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. In May, students received NEED’s National High School Rookie of the Year award, along with several other state awards. That earned the students a trip to the national conference.
Throughout the trip the students interacted with other students who were participating in similar programs.
“It was fun interacting with them … seeing how they were different from us,” Candace Mullins said.
Academy Director Heather Spoon said one the students was especially inspired by the academy.
J.D. Coomer is looking at getting an internship in Washington. He spoke to Spoon about continuing with it as a career.
“He said to me ‘I think I know what I want to do with my life now, Mrs. Spoon,” Spoon said.
Spoon said the conference was full of other programs that were participating in “community awareness projects.”
The board presented the students and Spoon with certificates of recognition for the work they’ve done.
WASHINGTON TRIP
Until last month, Brittany Combs of Columbia had never visited Washington, D.C.
And although her first trip was a whirlwind visit of the nation’s capital, it’s one Combs says she will never forget.
Combs was among 12 students from Adair and Russell County high schools who attended the National Energy Education Development Project National Youth Awards, held June 25-28 in Washington, D.C.
“It definitely sparked more of an interest in pursuing an energy-related career,” said Combs, who will be a senior this fall at Adair County High School. “I just learned so much about Washington and about energy while there. It was a great experience, and I was grateful I got to attend it.”
Spoon said all 12 of the students experienced similar life-changing experiences at the national conference. In addition to learning about energy issues and meeting with students from all over the United States, the ETCA students also visited Kentucky Congressman Ed Whitfield’s office and toured several of the monuments.
“The students got a better idea about what they want to do with their lives — the trip just opened up a lot of possibilities for them,” Spoon said. “The students were amazed at what’s available to them and the careers available to them in energy.”
Spoon said the trip would not have been possible without the generosity of more than a dozen area residents and businesses. In addition to Lindsey Wilson, several individuals and local businesses combined to donate more than $7,000 so the students had few expenses on the trip.
“I could not have asked for a better group of kids to have taken to Washington, D.C.,” Spoon said. “In addition to learning about what’s available in the energy field for them, the trip was an opportunity for students to see what is outside of Kentucky. They told me they will never forget this trip. They made lifetime memories on it.”
The students who attended the trip from the ETCA Adair County High School program were: Jacob Burton, Brittany Combs, J.D. Coomer, Brandon Joseph, Macgyver Manning, Candace Mullins, Noah Schwika, Cody S. Taylor and Casey Webb.
By Allison Hollon
allison@accvonline.com
and Duane Bonifer
LWC Public Relations
