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Call it a midterm review and here is an exam of what goes on at Botetourt Technical Eduction Center (BTEC) as presented by the new principal, Joe Hardin, who came to the school recently to replace Brian Austin  who is now at the Central office in a supervisory position.

The classes held at BTEC are from the website:

Auto Service Technology, Instructor: Chris Frost: Prepares students to diagnose and repair motor vehicles. The course includes instruction in brake systems, engine tune-up and repair, electrical systems, cooling systems and suspensions.

Building Trades, Instructor: Phillip Simmons. Designed to develop skills and training in carpentry, masonry, residential wiring and plumbing. Students learn to use, care for, handle safely, tools, machinery, equipment, and materials commonly used in all building trades areas. Prerequisites - good basic math skills.

Collision Repair, Instructor: Donnie Sale. Prepares students to repair and refinish motor vehicle bodies. The course includes chassis alignment, reconstruction of components and repainting. Prerequisites - good color differentiation, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity.

Computer Aided Drafting,  Instructor Veronica Spradlin. Prepares students to enter the field of mechanical and architectural drafting. Students will be prepared to read and understand drawings, use equipment of the drafting profession, perform basic drawing procedures, and progress into more specialized work such as technical shop drawings. As students advance in skills training, they are introduced to and develop practical applications on the Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) System.

Cosmetology, Instructor: Phyllis Pratt. Prepares students for state licensing as cosmetologists. The course includes manicuring, shampooing, scalp and hair treatment, chemical services, hair styling and salon management. Prerequisites - hand-eye- coordination, manual dexterity, good color discrimination and ability to follow oral or written instructions.

Health Assistant, Instructor: Mary Agee. Included in the 2 year program is theory and clinical instruction in the sciences and basic nursing arts. Prepares students for state licensure as a certified nursing assistant. Also, assists students who desire for higher level health care career, such as a practical or registered nurse, dental assistant or physical therapist upon graduation.

Horticulture: Instructor, Jan Hendrickson..Prepares students to grow greenhouse plants, to design floral and plant arrangements, and to design and maintain interior and exterior landscapes. Prerequisites - an interest in the life sciences and desire to work with plants both inside and outside. Good "people" skills are a plus.

Plumbing: Instructor, Terry Agee. Plumbing is a 2 year program. Students learn to assemble, install and repair pipes, fittings and fixtures of heating,water,and drainage systems according to specifications of the plumbing code.

Senior Seminar: Instructors, Sara Zeek (English) Lindsay Brooks (Government)
Senior Humanities Seminar is an interdisciplinary, dual enrollment offering through BCPS and Virginia Western Community College. Students may earn up to 12 college credits in the program. Students are enrolled in English 111 and Political Science 211 in the first semester; English 112 and Political Science 212 are taught in the second semester. The classes are taught by a team of two teachers, and assignments frequently count in both classes. Students write a variety of essays and frequently complete group and individual projects. The courses are taught at the college level.

Welding, Instructor: Troy Linkenhoker. Welding introduces students to cutting, welding and manufacturing processes. It will provide students instruction in the fundamental principles of joining metals, welding and cutting processes, equipment operation, and safety procedures that are used in today's industrial environment.

With those classes in mind here are some of the things the 300 BTEC students have been accomplishing this fall.

Auto trades has a bid going on for two vehicles serviced by students, a 1981 Mercedes Benz and a 1998 Honda Civic. Bids should be delivered to BTEC by November 30.

Building trades I and II. Picnic tables that do not turnover are being constructed for Breckinridge Elementary School  PTA to place at the school. "The students can put together a table in one block period," said Hardin.

A  1325 modular one floor plan home based on the Moducraft model "Liberty" is being contstructed by Building trades also. On the drawing board is a possibility the Botetourt Education Foundation may purchase a lot for the home to be sold on. Plumbing and CAD have also participated in this project. If the lot is purchased, horticulture students will landscape the lot. The students also had a field trip to ModuCraft in Rocky Mount to see how they construct homes in the factory.

Auto Body students left Tuesday for a trip to the SEMA convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. They will see cutting edge technology and automobile ideas for the future while there.

Cosmetology Class hosted 9th year that BTEC Cosmetology has held an Annual Hair Show and invited other Cosmetology programs from neighboring counties to attend. We usually have between 250-300 Cosmetology students and this year is no exception. Participating schools are Bedford Science and Technology, Roanoke City Gibboney Center, Roanoke County Burton Center for Technology, Pulaski County High School, Blacksburg High School, and Giles County Technology Center. It will be held on Tuesday October 27th at the CAMS Forum," said Phyllis Pratt, instructor.

Health Care students get practical experience as well as classroom experience.  Horticulture students will be holding the annual Poinsettia Sale in early December.

Skills USA is a student organization for the technical trades and every year has a regional competition last year it was held at BTEC but the next one is going to be hosted by Allegheny High School. The organization is hiolding a raffle now for a canoe, a tree stand, GPS and a $50 gift card all courtesy of Gander Mountain. 41 donation and the drawing is November 24.

Skills USA is also sponsoring a food drive for the Botetourt Food Pantry in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club of Botetourt. Troy Linkenhoker and Veronica Spradlin can be contacted at the school at 473-8216 for information on how to make food donations or receive raffle information.