By Matt de Simone
One of the most anticipated events each school year at Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) is the annual Signing Day, where students formally commit to continuing their education or beginning careers in their chosen fields following graduation. This year’s celebration took place on May 12 in the auditorium at Central Academy Middle School.
A total of 41 students from across Botetourt County participated in the event, each taking an important step toward their professional futures. BTEC Principal and BCPS Supervisor of Career and Technical Education Mike Ketron welcomed the audience and recognized the students’ hard work and accomplishments. He highlighted the range of industry-recognized certifications the students had earned, their strong work ethic, and the practical skills they’ve developed. Many students received full-time job offers from local business partners and have chosen to advance their education in the same fields in which they trained.
“Today we are gathering to not only celebrate achievement, but to honor purpose, perseverance, and the incredible power of applied learning,” Ketron told the crowd.
To be eligible for recognition at Signing Day, each student completed a designated sequence of courses in a specific career field and secured full-time employment in that field. Ketron emphasized the collaborative nature of the students’ success, stating, “They’ve put in a lot of hard work, and they didn’t do it alone. This is a community effort, and we are fortunate to be part of this community.”
Prior to the signing portion of the event, special awards were presented. Bob Patterson, president of the Botetourt Education Foundation, awarded the Bernie Odasz Memorial Award to Tory Cox of Lord Botetourt High School. Maiya Ashby, president of the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, presented the Chamber’s $1,000 BTEC scholarship to Lainey Stevenson of James River High School, who plans to study Welding Engineering at Ohio State University.
“As we watch these students sign with their future employers, we are witnessing the celebration of careers that matter, skills that serve, and lives that are ready to make an impact,” Ketron added. “Students, I hope you take a deep breath and soak this in. You are the future of our workforce.”
Students then signed letters of commitment to continue their training or begin careers in fields such as agriscience, auto service and body technology, nurse’s aide, welding, cosmetology, building trades, and family and consumer sciences. Their instructors, families, and peers were on hand to celebrate this important milestone as the students prepared to move forward in their career paths.
Photos by Matt de Simone
The following students signed their letters of commitment during Monday’s Signing Day:
Agriscience (Stuart Byrd, instructor) – Isaac Nichols and Isaac Thomas
Family and Consumer Sciences (Lisa Stauffer, instructor) – Sendy Portillo
Auto Service Technology (Chris Frost, instructor) – Grayson Dudley
Nurse Aide (Shanon Griffin, instructor) – Elizabeth Davis, Madelyn Dooley, Wren Duckworth, Abigail Kingery, Naveah Marks, Ella Shuler, Regan VanNess, and Alazae Willey
Auto Body Technology (Nathaniel Kingery, instructor) – Carson Chitwood, Logan Joyce, Ryder Kitt, Gracin Niday, and Sean Persiani
Cosmetology (Whitney Witt, instructor) – Layla Argabright, Madison Painter, and Madison Snare
Building Trades (Phillip Simmons, instructor) – Hunter Ferguson, Emerich Jamison, and Dawson McCallister
Welding (Zach Burch, Troy Linkenhoker, and Chris Zalewski, instructors) – Rayden “Chase” Grimes, Cameron Ferguson, Griffen Lucas, Isaiah Wright, Wyatt Bankert, J.D. Bierce, Ethan Bryant, Isaiah Campbell, Austin Cox, Eli Doss, Astra Finchum, Ty Hensley, Cameron Pannell, Oscar Ramos Cedillo, Dylan Richardson, Jeremy Simmons, Morgan Underwood, and Hunter Weaver
