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Joey Logano wins Phoenix as he and Kyle Busch complete final 4

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Transfiguration of Our Lord Church holds inaugural Piggie Dinner

<p>An article was published Oct. 26 that I believe contained some misleading information.</p><p>As an active member of one of the West Side Career and Technology Center&#8217;s Occupational Advisory committees, I am very familiar with the school, its programs and its wonderful teaching staff. The cosmetology program recently hired a new instructor; the teacher is young, inventive and forward-thinking.</p><p>The article painted the cosmetology department&#8217;s use of funds as unnecessary. If you are not familiar with how grants work, you might believe that they are spending the money frivolously. The new cosmetology teacher was able to secure items from an equipment grant. Some of those items even had been requested by the previous instructor.</p><p>Equipment grants are strictly for equipment; the money cannot be applied to school maintenance, for electrical wiring or plumbing purposes.</p><p>The teacher purchased items that the students will use to acquire skills that might not be practiced locally but are practiced in bigger cities or luxury resorts. This encourages students to think bigger in what skills they learn. It also gives them an edge over cosmetologists who do not learn those practices.</p><p>Teachers should be encouraged to apply for grant funding to purchase equipment, especially if it allows students to expand their skill set.</p><p>The center&#8217;s facilities certainly are aging and need repair, but, as with anything else, it takes time and money. Our area has many aging school buildings, and all of them are experiencing similar maintenance issues.</p><p>The students are engaged in projects on a daily basis, inside of the school and as part of community-service projects. The center recently was able to remodel its caf&#233;, with both electrical and carpentry students participating. A career center can use its students to complete some, but not all, projects. This is not the fault of any trade instructor.</p><p>Finally, the article mentioned that there had been an &#8220;eye roll&#8221; made when someone recommended keeping hair from going down the sink. It is important to remember that the students at this center are still learning and growing. People must keep in mind that the teachers are doing their best, sometimes with minimal or even outdated equipment, to provide the skills and training that will help these students become contributing members of society.</p><p>There is one instructor in the classroom with multiple students, and he or she is responsible for not only teaching them trade skills, but also maintaining their safety and encouraging them toward a career.</p><p>We must do our best to support the teachers and students, keeping in mind how much time and effort is put forth on both of their parts.</p><p><strong>Nicole Middleton</strong></p><p>Hunlock Creek</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Credit the West Side Career and Technology Center’s hardworking teachers and students