TVCC News-Journal May 2012 Issue

Road Not Usually Traveled

News-JournalNews-JournalTrinity Valley

Volume 55 Issue 8 May 4, 2012Serving Trinity Valley Community College since 1972

Graduation Special

Workforce Education pages 6, 7 & 12

Photo Illustration/Joshua Roberts & News-Journal Staff

Have you ever heard of Turkmenistan or even know where it is?

Turkmenistan is a small country located in central Asia. The population is a little more than five million. The small town of Athens,

Texas, is 7,331.9 miles, a 15-hour flight from Turkmenistan. The country is home to many interesting facts and scen-ery, but for Rozalina Akopyan, a foreign exchange stu-dent at Trinity Valley Community College it is home.

Many people would not even consider being that far from home, but for many exchange students like Akopy-an the choice was a no-brainer.

Her journey was like most exchange students. She came to the United States in August of 2008. Her host parents were Jeff and Ginger Flairty, a couple from Dela-ware. In order for foreign students to be accepted in to high schools in the United States, they must be in one of many exchange programs. Akopyan choose the Future Leaders Exchange program.

“It is a scholarship-based program,” Akopyan said. “It was the only way I could get here. My family could not afford the program where we would have of had to pay”

Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) is one of many pro-grams used around the world for foreign exchange students who want to attend high school in the United States. To apply for the program, a student must be 15-17 years old and from one of the following countries: Arme-nia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mol-dova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, or Ukraine. Appli-cations are taken between September and December.

The process to qualify for the FLEX program is a very in-tense and stressful and only about 1-in-30 applicants are ultimately selected.

The first round of the selection process is a pre-test con-taining 16 multiple-choice question designed to screen students' English language abilities.

During the second round, applicants take a pre-TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the Sec-ondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) test. They also have to write three in-class English essays that shows their readiness for international exchange.

By Joshua Roberts

See Grad page 3

Campus NewsNews-Journal2

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

Editor-in-ChiefKelly Davis

Managing EditorKrista Newman

Copy/Graphics EditorRenan Zorer

Photo EditorKelly Davis

Sports EditorTBA

Web/Entertainment EditorJake Yarbrough

Staff WritersRay Cumby, Kazandra Gutierrez,

Adrian Price, Joshua Roberts, and Lis Valencia

Production AssistantDee Freeman

Student Media AdviserDeidre Jones

Memberships: TIPA, TCCJA and ACP

The TVCC News-Journal is a monthly publication and is produced by the journalism students at TVCC’s Athens campus. Views expressed in the editorial section are the opinions of the writers and do not reflect the views of the TVCC administration. The News-Journal welcomes letters and suggestions. The TVCC News-Journal reserves the right to edit let-ters for grammar or length. Letters to the editor can be mailed to 100 Cardinal Drive, Athens, TX 75751; or e-mailed to [email protected].

FOLLOW USwww.tvccnewsjournal.com

By Kazandra GutierrezStaff Writer

The thought of having teenagers take on the chal-lenge of attending college at the young age of 14 seems impossible for many reasons.

For one, people would say that they are too young, and they wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of col-lege life. Secondly, the class-es that they take would be too challenging, and they would end up failing. Fast forward four years. What was thought to be impos-sible is now possible.

PINNACLE is a program that helps young teen stu-dents attend college classes while they are also enrolled in high school classes. The pro-gram first started in 2008 with a small class of 25. Today, the PINNACLE program cur-rently sums up 203 students, filling up all the grade levels--from 9th to 12th grade.

The intention of the pro-gram was to take first-gen-eration college students and give them an opportunity to receive college credit at no cost.

The program is fully funded through a grant from the Murchison Foundation. The foundation is set up in mem-ory of Ginger Murchison, a resident who died. The foun-dation makes many mon-etary contributions through-out the Athens area.

PINNACLE first began as an idea Dr. Fred Hayes had to help students achieve a

college education. He in-troduced the idea to the Murchison Foundation; they liked what the program stood for, giving young stu-dents and opportunity to succeed in life, so they de-cided to fund it.

Tony Sikes, an English teacher for PINNACLE, be-lieves that the reason the program has been effica-cious for many reasons. The program will have its first graduating class this year. Secondly, students have the opportunity to acquire col-lege hours.

“I know PINNACLE has been successful because this is our first year of seniors, and we have a large per-centage that will receive an associate degree from TVCC,” Sikes said.

And even though not all students will graduate with both their high school diplo-ma and associate degree, they will have gathered many college hours.

“Those that will not receive a degree have accumu-lated a large number of col-lege hours that will motivate them to complete their stud-ies and receive a degree,” Sikes said.

PINNACLE first saw success when two students in the program graduated early. Griselda Beltran and Me-gan Huckabay are currently enrolled at The University of Texas at Tyler.

Beltran graduated from the PINNACLE program in the summer of 2011. She was the first students to gradu-ate, opening the door for

the rest of the students. She is currently living in Tyler where she is enrolled in the nursing program at UT-Tyler.

Following in Beltran’s foot-steps, Huckabay graduated in the fall of 2011, becoming the second student to re-ceive her associate degree and high school diploma, and finishing the PINNACLE program early.

Even though Huckabay entered the program a year late, with the help of her teachers--and especially Ja-mie Ivey, the principal--she managed to accomplish what many thought was im-possible.

“PINNACLE has given me a head start on my degree,” Huckabay said. “I would give most of my recognition to Mrs. Ivey for pushing me and being a personal sup-port system. “

For two current students, PINNACLE has meant a brighter future with an op-portunity to succeed in life. Edgar Leon and Shanika Barrett both saw a chance to become someone in life--like a teacher, engineer, or a doctor--when they heard about PINNACLE.

“Pinnacle has helped me think more of about my fu-ture,” said Leon. “I know that getting an education will help me get all the luxuries that I want for my family and me.”

For Barrett, Pinnacle has meant an opportunity for her future.

“Pinnacle has been my foundation for my future life, education and career,” Bar-

rett said. “For me, Pinnacle means a stable future filled with excellent opportuni-ties.”

The PINNACLE program has not only changed its students' mentality about school, but also how they approach their school work.

“My life has changed a lot, if you ask me,” said Re-becca Valle a student in the program. “I am more on top of my stuff, and I’ve matured a lot in many aspects of my life.”

Valle hasn’t been the only one that has been im-pacted by PINNACLE. Alma Mejia, a sophomore, saw her life come to a complete change when she joined the program.

Mejia found that her times of hanging out with friends being replaced with books after she joined PINNACLE.

Her decision to join PIN-NACLE was quite a sacrifice, but in a good way. She has become a completely dif-ferent person since making that decision.

“My life has changed so much since joining PINNA-CLE,” she said. “I have to focus more on school, so I don’t go out as much any-more.”

Students in the program have not been the only ones whose lives have changed; its teachers have also had their fair share of life-chang-es.

Lauren Tilley, a science teacher for PINNACLE stu-dents, said that since she has joined the program, her teaching career has grown

in many aspects.“PINNACLE has chal-

lenged me to be a better educator,” Tilley said. “I am constantly trying new things to push students in order for them to reach their greatest potential.”

She uses more technology in her classes. At the end of the year, she moves on to the next subject so students can get a head start.

Yvette LaCombe, a math teacher for PINNACLE, has seen her life blossom in many ways since joining the pro-gram.

She said she has devel-oped a career that she loves, and it’s rewarding in every possible way. She re-cently bought a house in Athens that she shares with her dog. Teaching for PIN-NACLE has been one of the easiest decisions she’s ever made.

Students interested in the program can apply their 8th grade year. The process involves filling out an appli-cation and answering two-to-hree essay questions. If the student is chosen, then they will receive a letter in the mail.

Even though the future for PINNACLE is still not written, Sikes said that it will definitely see more success.

“I see the future of PIN-NACLE expanding to where it can possibly be available to any [Athens Independent School District] student that chooses to participate in the program,” Sikes said.

PINNACLE: A new meaning to success

News-JournalCampus News

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Grad --continued from page 1--

“I actually failed the second part [of the ap-plication process] the first year I was applying,” Akopyan said. “It's a scholarship based program, so there are so many people that are trying to get into the program. Many of them were way older and smarter than me, in terms of the language and knowledge about American history.”

In the final round, applicants who successfully complete the first two-rounds must submit a for-mal application and participate in a one-on-one interview. Then, they take part in a group activity conducted in the local language.

The selection and notification process takes place between the months of December and April. And selection is based mainly on a stu-dent’s English ability, personality, social skills, aca-demic achievement, and leadership potential.

Although Akopyan failed the test the first time, she was given another opportunity to re-take the test.

Akopyan said: “I was kind of broken, because there wasn't another chance for me to apply, since it was going to be my last year of high school. That year, though, we elected a new president who decided to establish an addi-tional year of high school, which meant another chance for me. That is when I started believing that it is God's will for me to get myself together, work harder and try my knowledge and creativity once again. I did, and I passed.”

Akopyan’s American journey began at Smyr-na High School in Smyrna, Delaware, where she spent her senior year.

“The hardest part about being in the United States is being away from home,” she said. But it’s the best thing in that it helps you grow up and become more of an adult.”

From there, she decided to continue her schooling in the United States. The search to find a school was a difficult one. Akopyan wanted to make the right decision for her future. Her host parents, the Flairtys, always supported her deci-sion, even if that meant that she would be leaving Delaware for Texas. She looked at a few schools in Delaware and some places online, but in the end, made Trinity Valley Community College her collegiate choice.

“I chose Trinity Valley as my college because I wanted something different,” Akopyan said. “I could have gone to a university in Delaware and my host family would have supported me, but I wanted to do it on my own.”

Trinity Valley Community College is a melting pot for a lot of students like Akopyan. Students don’t mind coming to the small town of Athens, Texas, because tuition is affordable and hous-ing is cost-effective. Students from all over the state and from different countries, as well, flock to TVCC.

“I’ve met a lot of good and bad people here," she said. "It’s not that people treat me differ-ently; it’s just in the beginning, because I am

from a different country, speak a different lan-guage, and have a different culture, they get more interested.”

Akopyan, who is graduating this spring with an associate degree, has a 3.93 GPA. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of the Trinity Valley student senate.

Although things are wonderful right now, it hasn’t always been that way as one can imagine being from another county. But one thing is for sure, come May 11, 2012 all her hard work will be honored when she walks across the stage, shake TVCC President Dr. Glendon Forgery’s hand and proudly grasped that degree she has longed for.

“I chose Trinity Valley as my college because I wanted something different.”

Graduation can make some students feel anxious. Some worry about going on to the next level or transferring to another school, but for Lewis Davis, he will be worry-free.

Davis is graduating not only from Trinity Val-ley Community College with a liberal arts degree but also from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor's health science. To complete this task, Davis spent three years at SFA and two years at TVCC, transferring class-es between the two schools.

“I’m excited and blessed to be graduating from college," he said. "It’s been a long road, but a well-traveled one."

Davis, an Athens native, wasn’t always inter-ested in attending college.

“When I first graduated high school in 2005, I wasn’t looking into coming to school,” Davis said. “I wanted to go straight into the work-force. But after a long talk with my mother, I decided that school was the best option for me, not to mention financial aid helps a lot.”

Davis has decided to not participate in TVCC or SFA’s graduations. If he would have participated, he would have been among the 365 students at TVCC and around 1,200 stu-dents at SFA to walk across the stage to re-ceive their degree.

“I’m not into that kind of stuff,” Davis said. “I mean, I’m happy to be graduating, but walk-ing is a lot of extra work when it is not a mas-ter’s degree.”

Even though Davis is graduating with an associate and bachelor’s degree, he admits completing both degrees was not an easy task. Because he was not a traditional student, he had to learn new study habits and strug-gled in the beginning of his collegiate career.

“High school is different from college,” he said. “It was easy for me to just do an assign-ment or take a test without studying that hard, but in college it’s the exact opposite. I have to actually pick up and book and study regularly to make my grades.”

Although he doesn’t have a job lined up af-ter graduation, he said he plans to become a CPS (child protective service) counselor and possibly a coach.

“I want to be able to help young people make it in life,” he said, “and become better human beings, not only in the classroom, but just in everyday life.”

Two is always better than one

By Joshua RobertsStaff Writer

Rozalina Akopyan

News-Journal4 Campus News

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

By Ray CumbyStaff Writer

andKelly DavisEditor-in-Chief

There is a different-looking student walking around Trinity Valley Community College’s weld-ing building.

Her name is Eclipse, and she is a specially trained seizure-sensing Siberian Husky that regu-larly attends classes with welding student Christo-pher Bridges.

After graduating from Longview High School, Bridges enlisted in the U.S. Army. While going through his rifle training, his instructors offered him a sniper position. Even though Bridges enjoyed his rifle training, he decided not to take the offer.

Because he was a precise shooter, he qualified for the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) also known as NIGHT STALKERS, an elite team of soldiers trained to carry out special night missions.

Bridges, who was also a Black Hawk mechan-ic, was injured in late 2006 during an underwater mission. There was a problem with his underwater breathing apparatus, which caused him to as-cend to the surface too quickly and he had to be rescued, he said. He was diagnosed with a Trau-matic Brain Injury after the accident.

TBI is defined as damage to the brain resulting from a jolt or blow to the head, according to the Centers of Disease Control. Brain function can be temporarily or permanently impaired, and symp-toms can appear immediately or days, even weeks after a traumatic injury.

The accident left Bridges with permanent brain damage, memory loss, and as a result, he now suffers from seizures. However, his struggle to re-cover from the injury is far from over.

"I needed help, but I didn't feel entitled to help,” Bridges said. “I felt that there were people far worse than me.”

Bridges was medically retired and given an honorable discharge. In 2008, some two years after the accident, the Wounded Warriors Proj-ect, sponsored by the Veterans Administration,

helped him get Eclipse.The Wounded Warrior program helps soldiers

to obtain full benefits. This can include assisting veterans in getting health care, counseling them about housing and helping them to put food on the table for Thanksgiving. The project even assists soldiers with receiving awards such as the Purple Heart, Overseas campaign medals and other ser-vice medals.

To be eligible for these benefits, a soldier must have been injured after 9/11 and receive a 30 percent disability rating, such as suffering from a TBI or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"The [Wounded Warrior] program has taken very good care of me and my family," Bridges said.

When asked if all dogs had the ability to detect seizures, Bridges said no. He said that some dogs are born with this gift, and they must be trained. Only five-to-six percent of service dogs can de-tect seizures, Bridges said.

Dogs like Eclipse can notice chemical changes in a person’s body. Eclipse is able to detect sei-zures up to 45 minutes before it occurs. When Bridges has a seizure, his hands draw up, and he loses muscle control, he said.

To protect him from injuring himself, Eclipse lays across his chest to hold his arms down, just as she was trained to do. Bridges said after he has a sei-zure he feels hazy, exhausted and shaky.

Bridges' new K-9 companion has given him a chance to live a normal life. Since he has had Eclipse by his side, his driving privileges have been restored.

Bridges thinks very highly of his four-legged guardian angel. "My dog means the world to me, because I know Eclipse will be there for me at the first sign of trouble," he added.

When asked what word he would use to de-scribe describes Eclipse, he answered, “Irreplace-able.”

Welding student knows there's hope after disaster

Ray Cumby/News-Journal Eclipse, who is trained to detect seizures, accompa-nies welding student Christopher Bridges to all of his classes.

The Cardettes concluded the year with their annual spring show. This year’s show was entitled “Today’s Tomor-row.”

The theme dealt with the events that made world-wide news this past year, which included major news that made the world stand still for a moment to events that made 2011 a year to re-member.

The Cardettes performed

a variety of different dance routines and some of the numbers included a dance about the anniversary of the 9/11 and the sinking of the Titanic. They even had a piece where they remem-bered the people we have lost, as well as those people who made an impact on to-day’s world.

The Cardettes weren’t the only ones to perform at the event. The Escorts took part in sharing the stage and giv-ing a comical side to the show. In one of the routines, the Cardettes and Escorts

poked fun at some of the media scandals that took the world by storm, point-ing out stories that made us question why we followed Charlie Sheen on his “win-ning” streak; Kim and Kris's sweet, but short married life; and finally Angelia and Brad’s engagement.

After a great show, the Cardettes gave thanks to those who sponsored them throughout the school year. And they thanked those who have committed to donat-ing money to the organiza-tion for the upcoming year.

Cardettes host annual spring show

This year’s an-nual TVCC Car-dettes spring performance was a little different. The show, called “Today’s Tomor-row,” paid special tribute to several recent events. Photo/Courtesy of Barbie Carmichael Oliver

By Lis ValenciaStaff Writer

National NewsMay 4, 2012 www.tvccnewsjournal.com News-Journal

5

Join us for Preview Friday!

Designed with you in mind, Preview Friday allows transfer students the opportunity to learn about:

• How the transfer process works • Financial aid and scholarship opportunities • The Comet Connection tuition guarantee • Campus life

You’ll also have the chance to talk one-on-one with an advisor in your major. Choose the date you’d like to attend:

RSVP at utdallas.edu/enroll/events. Directions to the UT Dallas campus are available at utdallas.edu/directions.

REGISTER

NOWMarch 23, 2012

April 27, 2012May 4, 2012

May 18, 2012June 1, 2012

June 29, 2012July 13, 2012

McClatchy-Tribune News Service(MCT)--Democrats are pushing hard to keep

student loan rates from doubling to 6.8 percent in July. President Barack Obama has been talking about it almost every day, and this week two Cal-ifornia congresswomen--Zoe Lofgren and Anna Eshoo--visited San Jose State and Foothill College to rally support.

Republicans say they want to keep the rates low, too. But, predictably, this has devolved into an election-year battle, with both sides trying to embarrass the other--continuing Washington's failure to address the crisis in college affordability.

If rates on subsidized Stafford loans are allowed to rise, as many as 7.4 million students will pay about $1,000 more this year; San Jose State esti-mates the rate hike will affect more than 8,000 of its students.

This can't be allowed to happen. If the parties can't agree on how to pay the $6 billion cost of lower rates--Republicans want to take it from pre-ventive health care, while Democrats want to close a tax loophole benefiting the wealthy--they should add it to the deficit. It would be at least as valuable an investment in our nation's future as

the hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts the GOP has passed without paying for them.

However this gets resolved--and it must--Con-gress has to more broadly address the alarmingly rapid rise in college costs. Student loan debt now tops $1 trillion, and many students are being shut out of higher education altogether by tuition hikes at the same time businesses clamor for more educated workers.

Sharon Noguchi's front-page article in Sunday's newspaper made the dilemma painfully clear. It told the stories of Bay Area high school seniors who worked incredibly hard to get admitted to college but won't be able to attend because their families can't afford it, even on a sliding-scale basis.

California is ground zero for this disaster. The cost of attending a California State University campus has risen fourfold in 10 years. University of California tuition has more than doubled since 2005. Even families who have been able to save may be priced out by these dramatic jumps, par-ticularly in the past couple of years.

For families teetering financially--there are many more of them these days--finding thousands of

extra dollars a year for tuition is impossible. And with half of recent graduates jobless or underem-ployed, taking on loads of student debt seems imprudent.

Meanwhile Republicans have voted to slash Pell Grants, and there is no concerted national ef-fort to reduce the cost of college. It costs about $30,000 to attend a UC campus for a year, includ-ing room and board. If that keeps rising as it has, a child born this year could pay more than $400,000 for four years at UC. Who will be able to afford that? Will salaries for educated workers make it possible to repay that debt?

Over three decades we have made little prog-ress increasing college graduation rates, while other nations zoom past us. We need a national strategy--not annual piecemeal tinkering--to en-sure that everyone with the ability to succeed in college has the opportunity to attend and to contribute to our economic competitiveness.___(c)2012 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mer-curynews.comDistributed by MCT Information Services

Congress must keep student loan rates low and address problem of college affordability

Editorial

FeatureNews-Journal6

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

WORKFORCE

Cosmetology is more than

just the study of cosmetics and their use. And it’s not just a profes-

sion.C o s -

metolo-gists help

to make p e o p l e

feel good a b o u t

t h e m -s e l v e s . If peo-ple look

g o o d , they feel good.

Cosmetology students at Trinity Valley get hands on training where they are instructed on how to do hair and skin care, including facials and

nails.The program, which is a total of

42 semester hours, helps students work on their people skills, along with technical skills, applications and tex-tures, like perming and hair coloring. Students spend 7.5 hours a days in class, Monday through Thursday.

First-semester cosmetology stu-dents learn hands-on basics based on small building blocks for their fu-ture training. Students in the program are instructed by Elizabeth Cargil, also known around the shop as “Bo.”

“I love to see the girls come into their own, growing more and more confident as their skills improve,” Cargil said. “It’s rewarding to know they will have a career and can move on to working professionally.”

To some students, this career is just an extension of the skills they already possess.

“I’ve been around the salon my

whole life, so it seems to come natu-ral and comfortable to me,” said Whitney Rogers, 29, from Athens, Texas.

Heather Lawarence, 25, a cosme-tology student from Mabank, Texas said doing hair is fun. “The profession seems less like work and more like play. I like doing hair, it doesn’t seem like work, because I love it. It’s fun. I don’t have to think a lot.”

Cosmetology isn’t just learning about hair and beauty techniques, but it’s also about learning about people’s needs. Students learn how to better serve their clients. Students’ people skills really come into play when they interact with their cus-tomers.

“The best part is meeting new cli-ents,” said Morgan Simpson, 20, from Bullard, Texas. “The older women al-ways have the best stories to tell.”

Lawarence added, “This job comes with not only the opportuni-ty of meeting new people, but also making new friends.”

Some students in the program en-joy the fact that it doesn’t take four years to get their degree, along with other perks like flexible schedules and the fact that they can find a job just about anywhere.

“It’s like a quick career," said Aid-ee Ornelas, 20, from Athens, Texas. "I can get a job anywhere, chose my own schedule and work when I want. Plus, there’s always room to grow.”

After students finish the courses and have passed all of their exams, they are then required to pass the Texas State Board Exam before they can become a licensed professional cosmetologist.

While the beauty industry is con-stantly growing, so are the minds and skills of the next generation of cosmetologists. According to Beau-tyscools.edu, "The number of profes-sional salon, employees at 1.7 mil-lion, greatly outnumbers the number of lawyers across the United States.”

Beauty has become a part of ev-eryone’s life, in some form or fashion, and a cosmetologist can be im-portant to making that happen for some people. Many students said helping others feel attractive is very rewarding.

“Everybody wants to be beauti-ful,” Rogers said. “It makes me feel

great to know I make other people feel good about themselves.”

When students receive their de-gree and pass the board exam, they’ll be off to “beautify” the world. Most cosmetology students will move on to salons, while others will venture out and start a salon of their own.

When people walk into the cos-metology building at TVCC, they will be greeted with smiling faces in the friendly, close-knit atmosphere.

“If we can’t have a good time cause we’re learning, it ain’t worth doing,” said Janet Cotton, one of TVCC’s cosmetology instructors.

TVCC’s cosmetology department not only offers classes, but several services are available to students and the public like haircuts, perms, hair coloring, facials, and basic ped-icures and manicures. The salon is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tues-days and Thursdays for all services. Appointments can be scheduled in advance.

The salon offers services at re-duced prices for its customers, and the salon also offers senior discounts to anyone 55 or older. For appoint-ments or prices for services, call the TVCC cosmetology department at (903)675-6347.

Kelly Davis/News-JournalMadison Montgomery, 20, a first-year cosmetology student from Mabank, Texas adds some curls to Barbara Creel's hair.

Cosmetology

By Kelly DavisEditor-in-Chief

Ray Cumby/News-JournalTabitha Pittman, 24, a second-year cos-metology student from Athens,Texas fixes Liz Smith's hair at TVCC's salon.

FeatureMay 4, 2012 www.tvccnewsjournal.com News-Journal

7

EDUCATION

T rinity Valley Community College offers a one-year certificate program where students can learn all about automotive technology and get certified for entry-

level positions as an automotive technician.The program assists students in getting their cer-

tification in automotive mechanics technology.“Students spend 80-90 percent of their time

learning in the shop, hands on,” said Homer Ben-ton, one of TVCC’s automotive technology in-structors. “If students attend all-day classes, the course will take one year. If they attend half-a-day classes, it will take the students two years to get their certification. We cover everything from the simple to the very complex.”

Students will learn all areas of the automotive in-dustry, and the new procedures that are currently being used in the automotive field.

“I’ve been teaching automotive for 37 years,” Benton said. “I look at the importance here of what we’re training to prepare the students for and where they’re going.”

An Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE certi-fication, is what the student will receive. It will help them to be proficient in automotive repair.

“We teach everything that is on the certification test," Benton added. "We don’t have access to those tests. We have practice tests, but we don’t certify.”

Benton said the students are taught how to pre-

pare for an online exam.“The test is administered by ASA (Automotive

Service Association) and ASE online and not on paper anymore,” he said.

Students must pass eight exams to become rec-ognized as an ASE master technician.

At TVCC, they will learn eight specific skills, in-cluding engine repair, automotive transmission and trans-axle, manual drive train and axles, sus-pension and steering, brakes, electrical and elec-tronic systems, heating and air conditioning, and engine performance.

Students like going into this field because me-chanics are always needed.

“Auto mechanics is depression-proof,” Benton said. “Regardless of the economy, everybody needs a mechanic.”

The average salary of an automotive mechanic is $16 per hour and can be as high as $30 per hour, based on their experience, quality of service and certification.

“Some students have gone out and started work at dealerships and independent garages, while other students continue their education," Benton said. “Some students think they need to further their education, but I don’t think they do because the ‘Big Three’ [General Motors, Ford and Chrysler] have their own schools in which they teach their own doctrine.”

The program at TVCC combines theory and

laboratory courses in internal combustion en-gine, standard and automatic transmissions, shop safety, and front and rear suspension system of the automobiles. “It’s a good program, and stu-dents can make out of it what they want,” Benton added.

In addition, students take a course in the service and repair of the electronic fuel injection and the computer system of the automobile.

Benton said: “Auto mechanics has really changed over the years," Mechanics have taken on the names of 'technicians.' You don’t use a pair of pliers and a screwdriver anymore. You use test equipment and computers. Students must be savvy on the computer, as most of the stalls at the dealerships and garages have computers. We try to discourage our students not to play games on our computers.”

Although the course is short, students can eas-ily get discouraged when thing get hectic in the classroom. When students get discouraged or just need some inspiration, Benton comes up with cre-ative ways to help the students stay focused.

“I read poems to the students sometimes for motivation,” Benton said.

Students who complete TVCC’s certificate program should have all of the knowledge they would need to be successful in the industry.

Ray Cumby/News-JournalMatthew Wright overhauls a CV axle.

Ray Cumby/News-JournalMelvin Smith and Robbie York, both from Malakoff,Texas, work on a Jeep transfer case.

By Ray CumbyStaff Writer

Automotive Tech

2012 GraduatesNews-Journal8

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

Constance AchaKendra A. AdamsJessica L. AlstonKarla Liliana AlvarezAmber Marie AlvisoSarah Elizabeth AndersonRachael Elizabeth AshleyLudievina Galan BarrientosRuss BeeAmanda R. BellGeroge BenjaminErin BlackJulia V. BondChristopher G. BowersDavid BramletPamela Joy BritainMadeline J. BullAshley Marie CalverleyAmanda E. CarrLaura Ann CarterShanda L. CastleberryErin Elizabeth ChasteenCarol M. ChisangaKristina ColbaughKhristina ColeJennifer Suzanne CollinsIla L. CottonJanell F. CrowLauren Amber CunninghamHolly Michele CutrerAustin Bradley Carlisile DanielChenoa Lynn DanielsYolanda L. DanielsJodi Paulette DavisRandall P. DouglasJayme LaShell DunningsAlesha EasleyBryanna EdwardsJohn Daniel ElamRadonda Freeman EllisShelley FarmerDana R. FieldsDiana Flurry-WilemonAndrea Dawn FowlerKimberly Burns FowlerFrani Louise FoxGregorey Allen FranklinKristie L. FreemanLorraine Wumi GalabeJoseph GallowayBreanne GarnerPatrick E. GeorgiouCorinna Vanessa Gomez

Tocia GreenChristopher Wayne GroeningJanet Lynn GroeningCharlotte Halcrombe-AdeoyeKassie Kay HaleBrooklyn HallKatrina A. HartDana Hartman-GistChristina Marie HartshornStephanie De'Lane HatleyCandace Smith HenryKimberly D. HerriageMarsha Lee HicksBrittany L. HightowerShaina HoustonAngela Renee InmanBeatrice A. JohnsonChristine Sue JohnsonLauren Elese JohnsonRandi Nicole JoinerAnalisa Marie JuarezJacinda N. KingCassie L. KirkleyLarissa Heather KnottsLydia Michelle KoonceHiromi KruegerTammy Lynn Emert LaneyShelly Ann LenamondMelanie LeonardNatalie Licon-RobertsRobin Renae LindseyKaren LittleAutumn L. MasseyAllen Joseph MauriceAmber R. McLemoreJennifer MeekJessica Lynn MendozaCharlotte Christine MontgomeryMelissa Montez-GarciaRobert William MundenJosephine Gathoni MuneneMeaghan Brooke MurpheyCharlotte Ndedi-EnoneAlicia Guzman NegreteVicky NelsonBethany D. NorrisStanley Kwenjia NyanchoGlynda Don OglesbyJody Marie OliverBritney Renee OwenAnne Howard ParkerBrittany Elizabeth ParkerPatricia Ramsey Parker

Chastity Sawshaw ParksHeather Payne-SingletaryElizabeth M. PearsonAngela PenixAshley PilgrimLaShay Brooke PowellLynsey Nicole PuckettRachel RaderChristopher Robert RayJennifer Dowell RobertsDeborah K. RogersCherie K. RundlesAmy RushingKristina SandovalScott R. SchaefferVanessa SheriffCrystal Renee ShguitLisa Kay Berry SimonsStephanie Michele SimsJessica R. SmallAmber Nicole SmithLacey SmithCynthia Lynn SmootElisa SolisAmy SpahlingerCandace Nicole StephensCrissy Lee Stephens-MeadorStephanie Swindle-DykesLoris Williams SyfrettChristina M. TawwaterMegan TaylorMisty Lee TellezAna Carolina TenderJessica Blair ThompsonCindy Michele TigertBritney Michele TodorovicCamille Yvonn TurnerAmber Kiara TylerDebbie Lynn VaughanHeather Denise WalkerLeah Ann WallaceSheri LeAnn WarrenShari Stiles WeatherfordLaShauna N. WeisingerJennifer Dawn WelchKelly WhiteBrandy WilcoxBrittany Anne WilliamsDeVon Keith WilliamsRachel Witherspoon-MonkRobyn Allison WomackKaShaylan RayShell WoolenCallie Denise Zmolek

Associate Degree in Nursing

Devon AgusiRozalina G. AkopyanStephanie N. AllcornAnna Brooke AllenJenifer N. AllenArturo AlvaradoTricia AndertonAndrew AnstaettMackenzi R. ArnoldLuis Daniel ArteagaAndrew James Ashley IITolulope AyoadeChelsea Marie BahrCaleb BaileyMicah Charles BakerDeanna Marie BarreraShanika Shuanta BarrettBreann Alise BaughJennifer Marie BellNallely BeltranChris BerryMegan BickelKevin Matthew BladesWilliam O. Bond Jr.Curtis Lyn Booker, Jr.Sabrina BradleyJodi BrooksLamesha M. BrooksAnita BrownChelsea Desha BrownKelsie BrownClint Dakota BruchmillerJennie Katherine BukerWhitney Renee BurgessDonnie BurkeMary Ellen BurkeShalyndrea Rose BurroughsLaura Mary BuzinskiViviana CampaSha'kayla CaplesZachary CarlsonGeovanni CastanedaEdgar Camian Garcia Castrel-lonCaitlin CepakMario Alberto Cerda

Karla Patricia ChairezJessica Ann ChaneyVictoria L. CheathamKiran ChudalCody Lynn ClarkMorgan A. CokerAshley CoonJeffrey Lance CoreyCandace C. CourtneyChrystal Beth CraigLindy Ann CraineEmilee CrawfordBilly F. CrowsonBrianna Lileve DavisLeslee DeanHunter T. DeMayKailea DennehySarah DoergesShelly DonathanSteve Droke, Jr.Carrie Hutson EasleyCassey EdwardsDaniel EhambeMichael W. EvansAthena M. FernandezLa'Ambria T. FlorenceJasmin Carrasco FloresMichelle M. FosterSarah G. FosterTravis FowlerKaytlyn Mekell FugittSandra FultonEdward McVae Gafford Jr.Maria Guadalupe GarciaSusana K. GarciaErika GaytanAmy L. GlennKatrina R. GlennMycah Noelle GoldsmithAbby L. GoodeEmily L. GreenGinger GregoryYvonne Nichole GrossKimberly Jeannette GuajardoRachel Lynn HallCaitlin Cheyenne Handorf

Joshua D. HankinsKristina A. HardyMiranda HargraveJamie Michelle HarrisSuzanne N. HarrisAlicia Lyn HeatherMax Barrett HendersonBriar HenryMandy Leigh HibbsJamaal Duane HightowerJaywuan D'Angelo HillKeaton L. HollingsworthP. K. HollowayDavid Matthew HolsteinCathy HowethLarry D. James IIAnn Lydia JaroshJessica Leigh JenningsAmber JohnsonArthuro Johnson Jr.Rhonda W. JohnsonKristoff M. JonesErika KelleySamantha D. KinzieRebecca Ann KiserJeremy Michael Vance KleeCourtney Michele KuehnRebecca M. KupetzJean Sebastian LaehdeahoTyler Whitehurst LambethNolan Ivan LawrenceRodolfo LedesmaEdgar Josue LeonRebecca Lynne LewisDante L. LillyHaley LowranceJohn J. LuttrullDavid K. LyonsCynthia Monica ManceraStacy De'Anne MarcumGrifin Howard MarshallValerie MartinAmanda M. MattinglyJames R. McDermottWillie McKenzieChristopher Wade McKinney

Associate of Artsand

Associate of Art Teaching

Rodney C. AbbottBrittany AbkeCarl S. AdamsBrooke AkinKelly C. AlexanderJennifer AllisonCecil Morgan Arnold IITommy Lee BarrowsBradley Shayne BaucomJill Nicole BaumLa Quinta BeasleyCameron BoydTracy BrayLynett BurchPaige Jean ButlerHunter Carter

Ivan CastanedaEric CastroMonica Marie ChumleyCody ClemmonsBrandon ConfaloneAmanda Paige CorterMarjorie Ellen CoxSarah Ashley DavidDella R. DaviesMarsha Lea DickinsonTara DoddAudra DunningSarah Elaine DyerKyla EmerineCarrie Jo EvansAmanda A. Flores

Kendal Rose FormanTodd E. FowlerYsela GalanErin GallionMartin GarciaJohn Lawrence GatesJosh GatewoodCrystal G. GreenTony GreenwoodBrittany GuessTifany LaShaun HadnotCassie Cheree HaileyHannah Marie HardyLoToya HarrisPatrick S. Hendricks IIWendy Nicole Hennard

Certificate of Completion

Jonathan HoopsNathan Ray Hamilton HopkinsLauralyn HouseJulie B. HowellThomas Chase HudsonSteven F. HuffmanTiffany HurdJames C. IrickJereme W. JacksonJustin W. JacksonLindsey ann JacksonLaura L. JacobsKimberly M. JamesJustine C. JenkinsD'Anna Kay JohnsonStephen W. JohnstonBrian Jason JonesAdam T. JordanMarissa KillgoAlicia Nichole KingDeven Jon KinkeadTrey KnightPaula D. Lay

Deena Ann LeeSantiago T. ManceraVicki L. MartinVictoria MatusCharfus MayfieldErin McCallJacob Travis McDonaldKenny MihmPaula MilliganTabitha MillsSarah MooreRobert A. MorelandAmanda MorenoJoshua MoulderBrittney MunnsMagdalene N. NickleSandi OlivoRyan Kenneth PattonTabitha Nicole PittmanGabriella Rose QueipoKaci RobertsRagan RobertsKerry Rogers

Amanda SanfordJayme Daree ScarbroughLeslie L. ScottAshley Nicole SeguinMarquise De'Shan ShepherdAnna SmithAshley Ruth SmithSheila Anna SmithSherri L. SnyderDavid D. SowellsCharlene StarrLisa Kay StevensDawnya S. Jenkins StockmanSteven J. WalshCori Amber Warren Beau Marshall WhiteJoshua D. WilliamsonJason Malone WillinghamDrake Whitley WilsonMatthew James WimbergDavid Andrew YagerTracy Maria Yancey

2012 GraduatesMay 4, 2012 www.tvccnewsjournal.com News-Journal

9Robert Michael McKnightEarnest Eugene McLeodEden Ruby MedinaUrsula Nicole MendozaJessica Carroll MertzLaToya Marie MilanesBrandon Lee MillerLauren Brooke MillerMacey MillerRachel Deanne MillerShelby MillerLawrence A. MiltonBritnye MooreDeliance Rae Le'Kieth MooreCourtney MormanAndrea Leigh NashAndrew Bates NelsonLauren Nicole NelsonKatie NewsomeColton NewtonShelby Annette NolenLauren Gail NorwoodChristine L. PadillaRoseanne Dee ParsonsAlan Michael PateJoshua Caleb PattonDerryle Peace, Jr.Kevin L. PetersenJamie PettijohnLindsay PoppaKaylan PruittRebecca Ann RagsdaleChasity Nicole RamirezAnna Claudia RamirezKelly Sue RasburyPablo RegaladoMonica ReynosoArin Rhodes

Katie Lynn RittenhouseOdette RiveroCasey RobertsKaty Danielle RobertsStephen L. RobertsonAlice RobinsonAmber RogersKatelyn Nicole RootBrittani L. RossumCortney Christine RubleBrittani Marie RuizDalesia C. SandersIrma C. Sandoval-RamirezKatie SargentHaley Michelle SavantAmber Rochelle SchepplerMary Kristina ScogginsJasmine Charnelle ScottAudrey Lura SheltonAmy Sue SheridanWilliam C. SherrellCarley ShultzJames H. Sisung IIIAshley Brianne SlimpJessica Lynn SmithKailie SmithNina Alyssa SmithShanteeka Kybrenna SmithStefanie SnelsonWhitney Ranee SnowDavid Alan SouleKristen Frances SouleMatthew Dillon StarekClay Marlon StarlingKristen N. StevensAustin Jared TeelBrion Christopher ThompsonMicah Thornton

Brett Wayne TidwellAshley D. ToddCaitlin Renee TophinkeMaria Fatima TorresAdrian ToviasMacy Jae UngerTammie Lee UngerKandice Van HornGabriela C. VelazquezShannon VianaAshley VillegasJennie Von DoellenMatthew WakelandKimberly WalkerRobert Joseph WalkerKaren WallerChelsey Rhea WallsKatharine WamplerKatelyn R. WardBrooke A. WarrenCynthia E. WashingtonBrianna L. WebbKristin N. WeeksWhitney Michelle WhitakerApril Chanel WilliamsChristopher M. WilliamsMenses Leval Williams, Jr.Harold Dean WillinghamSkylar Arista WillinghamMaria C. WilsonCarlee Rayne WombleBridgette WoodallCourtney WrenTyler Daniel YarbroughBrianna Nicole YoungWilliam Eric YoungBritney D. ZabickRenan Bordim Zorer

Jonathan Taylor BaileyChad W. BakerMichael BateyRobert Don BrittainPam BrownEmily Suzanne CamachoKyle A. ClarkTricia CreedJerry N. CrockerDonta Lanette DavisJacob Younger DeRossettStephen DrewelElizabeth Nicole FultonKarrie Lynn Fulton

Jennifer Anne HendrixNataliee HernandezCourtney HickmanReshard D. HolmesJoanna Leigh HuskinsKatarzyna M. KalskiRachel Lynn KellyJeremy M. LackeyMichael Ryan MassengaleSherry Feltman MayneJared McClungEileenia Verstine MeredithCrystal Ann MeyerPhillip A. MoorePatricia Morrison

Ronald OotseyTammie OrtegaShanette T. PerryRachel M. PetersonPamela C. QuezadaKelly RightmireDanielle ShultzErin Rachelle StapperCassandra StarekMachelle Dee StognerChristina A. ThompsonTravis Michael WebsterMariela Zavala

Associate of Applied Science

Spring GraduationThursday, May 10

Health Science6:30 p.m.

Friday, May 11Applied Science and Certificates

5:30 p.m.

Associate of Arts/ Associate of Teaching

8:00 p.m.

(StatePoint) For recent graduates hunting for a job, daily headlines about unemployment rates can be disheartening. But many experts say that a down economy is not an insurmountable hurdle toward finding a great job.

“Even when the job market is discouraging, adopting the right at-titude and strategies can help you break into any organization in any industry and start climbing the ladder to success,” says Pete Leibman, a career coach, and author of the new book, “I Got My Dream Job and So Can You.”

Leibman, who landed his dream job right out of college working for the NBA’s Washington Wizards, offers these tips for those starting out in the workforce:

• No excuses. Don’t let the media’s coverage of the economy scare away your job-searching motivation. You only need one job, and one break. Not 25 jobs, not 100. When you take that into consideration, the unemployment rate won’t seem so daunting.

• Don’t have a back-up plan. Commit to your goal with a resilient sprit, not a plan for failure. Of course, you’ll need to pay bills in the meantime, and perhaps answer to mom and dad, so accept other work -- temporarily. It is not a matter of “if,” it’s a matter of “when” you break into your ideal career.

• Be accountable. Landing a job is a job in and of itself. So set week-ly and daily goals that include talking to the people in a position to hire you. Track your time to make sure you are managing your day effectively.

• Networking is important. Over 70 percent of all jobs are filled be-hind the scenes through personal contacts and networking, says Leib-man. But it’s not about who you know, and who knows you. The truth is that networking is all about who likes and respects you. When it comes to your contacts, quality is the key.

• Be likable. To be likable, start by liking yourself. Doing so will come across in your body language and your communication skills, and this will help you both personally and professionally. The next step is to gen-uinely like others without kissing up or using flattery. People naturally like people who are similar to themselves, so draw on commonalities between you and potential employers to win them over.

• Stand out. Your resume is not as important as you think. Top em-ployers may receive hundreds or thousands of unsolicited resumes ev-ery week. While using keywords and high-tech software programs to beat a computer system’s screening process can help, the best way to stand out in a stack of resumes is to never end up in the stack in the first place! Through strategic networking, you can avoid this fate.

More career tips can be found at www.BestCareerBook.com. The working world can be a competitive place for a new worker,

but with the right strategies you can land a great job, even in a ques-tionable economy.

Job Hunting Tips For Recent Grads

SportsNews-Journal10

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

The search for a head men’s bas-ketball coach at Trinity Valley Com-munity College is under way after Pat Smith announced his resignation

over the weekend. Smith, who recently complet-

ed his sixth season as the college’s head men’s basketball coach and is in his second year as athletic direc-tor, has accepted a similar position at Moberly Area Community Col-lege in Missouri. He previously served as head coach there in 2001-2004.

Smith’s hiring is expected to be approved tonight at a meeting of the MACC board of trustees.

In his six seasons at the helm of the Cardinal basketball program, Smith compiled a 122-67 record, includ-ing a Region XIV Conference North Zone championship in 2010-11. The Cardinals were 28-10 in conference play the last two seasons combined.

Smith leaves TVCC with a 580-362 career coaching record.

“Coach Smith will definitely be missed here at Trinity Valley,” said

TVCC President Dr. Glendon Forgey. “In his years here, Coach Smith has exhibited strong character, integrity and dedication to the Cardinal pro-gram.

“In just six years, he has built the Cardinals into a force to be reck-oned with in this conference. I want to thank him for his excellent service to this institution and wish Coach Smith the best in all his future en-deavors.”

At Moberly, Smith returns to the site of his high-water mark as a head coach on the JUCO level. In 2001-02, he led Moberly to a Region 16 championship, a fifth-place finish at the national tournament appear-ance and 30-7 record. He was 69-32 in his first tenure at Moberly.

Prior to his arrival at TVCC, Smith spent two seasons at Bemidji State University. He has also served as

head coach at a variety of colleges, both at the junior college and NCAA levels.

In addition to coaching responsi-bilities in his successful career, Smith also served as athletic director at St. Catharine Junior College and Jack-sonville College.

Forgey said the search for a new men’s basketball coach will begin immediately.

“Trinity Valley is known for its strong athletic programs, and so I have full confidence that we will have a va-riety of qualified candidates from which to choose.” Forgey said. “The position will soon be posted and, in order to allow the program to con-tinue to run smoothly, we will be looking to name a new head coach as quickly as possible.”

Smith leaving TVCC for MoberlySpecial to the News-Journal

Photo/Courtesy of TVCC PRTVCC athletic director/head men's bas-ketball coach announces resignation.

2011-12 winnersAthletic Trainers

December 15, 2011 www.tvccnewsjournal.com Page 7

Crossword PuzzleMay 4, 2012 www.tvccnewsjournal.com News-Journal

11ACROSS1. Puppy cries6. Highest degree9. Cyrano's promi-nent feature13. School in France14. "___" Jordan15. "Don't _____ words!"16. With arms17. League of its own18. Like the sus-pects in "Casablan-ca"19. *She went to the cupboard21. *"Arrangement in Grey and Black: the ______'s Moth-er"23. Estimated ar-rival24. Drop-down menu option25. ENT's first con-cern?28. Larger-than-life30. *Kate Hudson's mom35. *Son of Hera37. Fe39. *Mothers tend to their children's ____40. Capital of Lat-via41. 1/100 of a rial43. Nadas44. The Romanovs, e.g.46. "____ Like it Hot"47. On a cruise48. Mylar filling50. Cheesy sandwich52. Give it a shot53. Snoopy55. Positive or negative particle57. "Smokey and the ______"60. *Aka Nadya Suleman64. Mythological princess of Colchis65. Once around67. "What A Feel-ing" singer Cara68. Muscle control problem69. 2nd or 3rd in New York City70. Nephew's sister71. Contribution72. p in mph73. Type of commu-nity

STATEPOINT CROSSWORDTHEME: MOTHER'S DAY

DOWN1. Uh-huh2. Shade of beige3. Bausch's partner4. Military trainee5. Tranquilize6. Type of vacation7. T-cell killer8. Nymph of the woods9. Inconclusive10. Burden11. Do like Ella Fitzgerald12. Unagi15. Sheep meat20. R in REM22. Fix a game24. "It's the _______, stupid"25. *Mother _____26. Get up27. *Like the Queen Mother29. Eye color31. Horne or Olin32. Freethinker33. A do-nothing34. Test form36. Indira Gandhi's dress38. Given identity42. An antiquity45. *Mothering ______, Mother's Day to a Brit49. "C'est ___?"51. Lugging54. Razor sharpener56. Water wheel57. Testing stage of software58. Sixth month of civil year59. Cashier's call60. Last word on radio61. Swim or track contest62. Fairytale start63. Fitting reward64. It comes with a key66. *Biblical moth-er

Solution to puzzle located on page 12

News-Journal12 Feature/Advertisement

www.tvccnewsjournal.com May 4, 2012

Ray Cumby/News-JournalThe welding program consists of 32 semester hours, and students can be completed the program in about two years.

A s a young, impressionable 14-year-old student at LaPoynor High School my agriculture teacher, Bill Westbrook, took me under his

wing and introduced me to welding. I was a standout welder in my class. Seeing my talent for welding, Mr. Westbrook told me that the profession was booming and that I should look into pursuing welding as a ca-reer.

In the fall of 1970, I enrolled in the first welding class at Henderson County Junior College, now known as Trinity Valley Com-munity College.

Forty-two years later, TVCC has approxi-mately 20 workforce programs.

All workforce education programs have an advisory committee comprised of busi-ness and industry leaders. The committee works with instructors to ensure that the pro-grams are effective.

Welding was one of the first work-force education programs offered at TVCC. The weld-ing curriculum now consists of 32 semes-ter-hours, focusing on basic welding fundamentals, tool and equipment safety, layout and fabrication, and en-gineering graphics.

Welding instructor, Tom Sheram, who has been teaching at TVCC for nine years, said that the program is designed for basic entry into the welding profes-sion.

"Regardless of the

economy, there is expected to be about 200,000 jobs in the field, but not necessarily in the local area," Sheram said.

One of the main objectives of the welding program is to help students improve their chances of getting a job. Sheram said he helps to place students in jobs locally and statewide.

Local companies like Red Dot and Mud Technology International Inc. hire qualified welding students from the TVCC.

Almost every industry uses welding. Some industries that depend on welding include: aerospace, automotive, electronics and petrochemical.

"The average salary for a welder can range from $20 to$80 per hour," Sheram said. He added that the job placement in the local area was minimal but finding a job outside of this region was hopeful.

WORKFORCE EDUCATION

By Ray CumbyStaff Writer

Ray Cumby/News-JournalCertified welders can earn around $20 to $80 per hour, depending on the the type of work needed.

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