Buckeye Career Center seniors showcase electrical program at Statehouse

Two seniors from Buckeye Career Center’s Electrical Systems Technology program represented their school and lab at the annual Career and Technical Education Student Showcase at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Electrical Systems Technology students Robin Stevens of New Philadelphia and Kaitlyn Honor, a homeschooled student from Bolivar, were selected to participate in the statewide event, showcasing their program.

The showcase is held annually during the CTE Legislative Seminar, which brings career and technical education superintendents to Columbus to speak with legislators about CTE priorities. The CTE Student Showcase, held in the Ohio Statehouse atrium, features displays from career centers across Ohio for visitors and state legislators to explore.

During the showcase, the students presented an interactive electrical switchboard demonstration along with programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, used in their lab. The display allowed visitors to see how technology and computer-based programming are integrated into modern electrical training.

“We have a PLC trainer board that allows us to use computer software to program the PLC,” Stevens said. “A PLC is basically a computer that you can write programs in. A lot of our visitors were really interested and surprised by how much we use computers and technology to learn about electrical systems.”

Honor said the experience helped build confidence and communication skills.

“This experience is preparing me for the future because I’m not super talkative, but I enjoy talking about things I’m passionate about,” Honor said. “It’s nice knowing people wanted to hear what we had to say. I’m not sure exactly what I want to do in the future yet, but I’m excited to find out.”

The students were accompanied by Electrical Systems Technology instructor Tim Septer and Buckeye Career Center Principal Matt Fockler, along with other Buckeye Career Center administrators.