By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

LeCroy Career Technical Center has received a $6,000 Community Service grant from the Alabama State Legislature.

State Senator Clyde Chambliss presented the grant check to LCTC Director Dara Norman and Chilton County Schools Superintendent Tommy Glasscock on Sept. 19.

Norman said the grant came as a surprise and will help to improve the program.

“It is for them to use as they see fit, I feel strongly that local people know where money is needed, and when we try to dictate it at the state level, we don’t hit the biggest need,” Chambliss said.

Glasscock said he was excited for LCTC to receive the grant through the school system’s partnership with the state.

Legislators apply for the funds for their districts. All of the Community Service grants Chambliss applied for this year were for career tech programs. Each of the counties he represents will receive a grant.

While he was at LCTC, Chambliss took a tour of the Career Tech Academy classes. These students take all of their courses, even core classes, at LCTC. The core classes focus on and incorporate elements that are related to the career fields the students ae interested in.

Funds for the grants are provided on an annual basis, but the focus for the grants changes from year to year.

This year has brought some changes at the career technical center. The center has implemented a Simulated Workplace model, requiring interviews before signing up for a course and providing a real-word environment for the work.

“For example, in the welding shop, when they come in they have a foreman, and they are employees and everything is handled just like it would be in the real workforce,” Norman said.

This includes applying and interviewing for a position in the class. Norman said these are skills industry leaders say some students lack.

The career tech center has also provided funds this year for STEM programs from kindergarten to 12th grade in Clanton and Jemison. Norman said efforts are made to make sure the same information is being taught in each grade and each STEM related class.