By Sherri Blevins
RAINSVILLE – Happy Anniversary DCTC! On October 26, 2023, a classroom full of honored guests, including Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, Northeast Alabama Community College President Dr. David Campbell, Superintendent Wayne Lyles, DeKalb County Board of Education members, and several elected officials joined current and former DCTC students, faculty, and staff to celebrate the award-winning school’s fiftieth anniversary.
DCTC Principal and Assistant Director Joey Haymon welcomed everyone and introduced Career Tech Coach David Holt. Holt also is the SkillsUSA sponsor. Holt took the opportunity to introduce five students who have served as SkillsUSA state officers. Four served as state president, and one as state parliamentarian. Those recognized were parliamentarian Lara Roe and state presidents Hunter Benefield, Matthey Gamez, Elizabeth Cornelius, Emily Webb, and Katelyn Davis.
Masonry Instructor Scott Phillips introduced Brice Mayes, who recently earned the SkillsUSA Masonry National Champion title. Phillips praised Mayes for being an outstanding student and individual and shared that Mayes’s father had also been an excellent masonry student and went on to a very successful career. Phillips described both Brice and his father as hardworking and easy to work with – he checked every box- everything you would look for in a student. Phillips said Brice was the only student he has had in twenty-five years to make it to the national competition twice.
Career Tech Director Jonathan Phillips recognized several special guests. He thanked all the advisory council members for all they do to support career tech and extended his heartfelt thanks to all who came to celebrate DCTC. Phillips said, “We owe a debt of gratitude to the former DeKalb County Board of Education, led by Franklin Kellett, and Fort Payne City Board of Education under the leadership of Superintendent Willard Israel for their visionary partnership that created DeKalb County Technology Center years ago. They laid the groundwork for what we have today.”
Superintendent Wayne Lyles introduced Speaker Ledbetter as the guest speaker. Speaker Ledbetter has served on the Career Tech District Advisory Council for eleven years. Lyles shared a little of his career story with everyone before introducing Speaker Ledbetter. Lyles said, “I stand before you this evening as a product of career technical education. Many of you know I was an ag teacher in my educational career. If it were not for my ag teacher Gene Galloway, I probably wouldn’t have had the desire to become an educator instilled in me.” Lyles said his philosophy of education is, “You learn by doing. It is the best form of learning.” Lyles added that when he was in school, he wasn’t really motivated by reading, science, or math, but when he was in the shop building things or learning how to survey land or judge cattle, it made him feel smart and like he was in a learning environment where he belonged. Lyles praised the school administrators for making DCTC a success.
Speaker Ledbetter said he was honored to be asked to speak, and it was wonderful to be back home. Ledbetter said that for three out of the last five years, DeKalb’s Career Tech program has been recognized as one of the best across the southeast and in the nation, and it was successful because of the dedication of its directors, staff, teachers, and board. Ledbetter spoke of the impact the program has had on area students. He said, “DCTC serves 500 students on campus and 2,600 district-wide. It excels nationally in masonry, electrical, cosmetology, and more. For fifty years, generations of families have learned a trade and sharpened their skills right here in DeKalb County.”
One important force driving the success of the DCTC is the DeKalb County Career Tech Advisory Council. It recently elected Mr. Jeff Williams as chairman and Mr. Lance Arnold as vice chairman. Mr. Williams is a certified public accountant, the managing partner of CPA Professionals, and a former DeKalb County Board of Education Member who avidly supports career tech education. He has served on the advisory council for six years, this being his second one-year term as chairman.
Mr. Lance Arnold owns Arnold Construction with 28 years of experience specializing in residential construction as a general contractor. Mr. Arnold was instrumental in helping with the planning phase of the new building science program at DCTC. DeKalb County Career Tech Director Jonathan Phillips stated, “ We are blessed to have individuals like Mr. Williams and Mr. Arnold who believe in the importance of career tech education with a willingness to donate their time to lead our advisory council as we work to provide the best educational experience possible to all our students.”