Nathan Jeffers/photo

Pictured (seated, from left) are BOE Members Greg Fowler, Dale Shobe, Vice President Randy Searls, Member Paul Sayre, Superintendent Suzanne Dickens, President Tom Nunnery, (standing from left) Anthony Linger, Kyle Kidwell, Zach Carry, and Erik Allbright.

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POINT PLEASANT — At Tuesday’s meeting of the Mason County Board of Education, board members approved a proclamation recognizing the month of February as “National Career and Technical Education Month.”

Zach Carry, president of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); Erik Allbright, president of Skills USA, Anthony Linger, president of the local chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA); and Kyle Kidwell, vice president of the local chapter of FFA and state vice-president of FFA were present and were recognized by the board.

These student leaders spoke with the Point Pleasant Register and expressed their gratitude for the career and technical programs and teachers, saying these programs allow a special kind of schooling experience that other programs don’t provide. The students specifically mentioned their teachers, saying they have real world experiences in their topics and can pass that experience onto their students. They continued, saying the students who come out of these programs are ready for the workforce or prepared to further their training in their respective field.

“Career and Technical Education is definitely one of the most important parts of the school,” the students said. “We’re just glad it’s Career and Technical Education month and glad next week is FFA week.”

Also at the meeting, Sheriff Greg Powers spoke to the board regarding the PRO/DARE program with Mason County Schools. Board members also discussed with Powers the possibility of having officers present at various Mason County Schools, suggesting there could be an office available at a local school where an officer could briefly stop to complete any work needed. Through this possibility, it was noted the officer’s presence would be noted by the students, as well as other members of the school’s community, helping increase security at the school and in the surrounding area.

Board members also briefly discussed updating their policies on National Board Certification for Mason County teachers and the postings and classification regarding substitute service personnel. More on these items will appear in a later edition when the policies and the changes are up for review.

For more on this meeting, another story on the approved agenda items also appears in this edition.