‘Imagination and creativity make you who you are’
North Montco Technical Career Center honors Class of 2015 on Senior Recognition Night
On Thursday evening, 232 seniors at North Montco Technical Career Center were recognized during a ceremony hosted at North Penn High School.
Family members and friends of the seniors gathered in the high school’s auditorium to see the tech school students receive their certificates.
The ceremony was opened by NMTCC Administrative Director Michael Lucas, who remarked on the achievements of the students and wished them luck in their future endeavors.
“Our students are leaving with the technical and professional skills needed to make their mark on society,” said Lucas. “(Their certificates) represent their interests and dedication to their career
choices.”
After opening remarks, faculty members and support staf f for the tech school proceeded into the auditorium, followed by the students, who were arranged by their area of study.
The areas that students had focused on at the tech school included construction trades, cosmetology, floral design and landscaping, engineer-ing/manufacturing, culinary arts, health and human services, power and transportation, and visual communications.
Before students walked across the stage to receive their cer tif icates, they heard from two selected student speakers, health occupations student Ranya Melika and culinary arts student Theodore Harris.
Melika made remarks on the maturity her peers have developed throughout their time at NMTCC.
“It’s amazing how much we have changed i n the past four years,” said Melika. “We (have become) mature, responsible, dependable, and motivated adults.”
Harris reminded the cla ss that creativ it y is an important skill to develop and nurture. “Imagination and creativity make you who you are, and no one can take that away from you,” said Harris.
During the ceremony, deceased senior pro
“It’s amazing how much we have changed in the past four years. We (have become) mature, responsible, dependable, and motivated adults” — Ranya Melika, health occupations student at North Montco Technical Career Center
tective ser vices student Gavin Wolfe was honored by a fellow senior protective ser vices student in a speech. After his remarks, Wolfe’s parents and younger brother were welcomed on stage to receive his certificate.
Wolfe, who was also a senior at Souderton Area High School, passed away from a sudden illness in September.
The seniors of NMTCC are also graduating from other high schools who are partners with the tech school.
Partner high schools also include Methacton, North Penn, Perkiomen Valley, Wissahickon, and Lansdale Catholic.
According to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning senior Bryan Hannon, the skills he learned at NMTCC will help him in his future professional endeavors.
“We received hands-on learning that wasn’t just reading from a book,” said Hannon. “I got to work with a blow torch, big machines, and with copper.”
Hannon is also graduating from Perkiomen Valley High School, and is looking for employment in the HVAC field.
Culinar y ar ts senior Jamie Riker credits the NMTCC restaurant and bakery, which enables students to prepare food and baked goods for outside customers, with giving her experience that will be useful in her continuing education.
“It was really fun, and it gave me an idea of what commercial kitchens are like,” said Riker.
Riker will be attending Montgomery County Community College and looks forward to going to culinary school in the future.