Career Tech Extravaganza celebrates students and scholarships

Published 12:06 pm Friday, February 24, 2017

By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Each Chilton County Schools Career Technical Student of the Year received a surprise scholarship at the Career Technical Extravaganza on Feb. 23.

Usually at the annual event, names are drawn from a bowl for the number of scholarships made possible through donations from the event’s sponsors. This year there was enough funding to provide a $400 scholarship to every senior and a $100 scholarship to every underclassman.

“The scholarships for the undergrads can be used for funding their education right now,” Scholarship committee member Landon Lowery said. “We hope that that $100 will be able to go toward paying student fees, fields trips that your career and technical organization is going on, anything associated with their high school education.”

Seniors can use their scholarships funds for college, an apprentice program or transitioning to the workforce.

“Because that is what we do at Career Tech, we are training our students to go out into the workforce, whether that is upon graduation or that is going to a two or four-year degree program,” Lowery said.

The Cliff Ousley Memorial Scholarship for $100 was presented to Brandon Lee Short.

Ousley was a graduate of Maplesville High School and Auburn University. He died in a motorcycle accident in 2016.

The Mike Robertson Memorial Scholarship was presented to Rose Enfinger.

Superintendent Tommy Glasscock said Robertson was “a mentor to me.”

“Mike Robertson was a dear friend of mine, and I am so honored tonight to have wife Miss Patsy here to draw [the name] for this scholarship,” Glasscock said.

Additional CTE Students of the Year were Colten Fells, Hunter Langston, Kaci Kafichunski, Madeline Morris, John Schoener, Kristin Morrison, Cole Mims, Thompson Payne, Tanner Brown, Ashley Waldrop, Cole Headley, Ethan Laatsch, Marco Martinez, Carlos Ventura, James Chappell, Devin Puckett, T.C. Robbins, Tanner Payne, Brandy Chappell, Maria Morales, Ryan Scott, Zach Tuma, Caleb Smith, BreighAnna Alford, Lane Bice, Nicholas Latta, Hannah Ellison, Mallory Stewart, Macey Barnett and Katelyn Green.

Students were recommended for the honor by the teacher in their area of study.

This was the 11th year for the event hosted by the Chilton County Association for Career Technical Education.