The Carbon Career and Technical Institute held its senior recognition night last week for the class of 2012.

Alexis Young opened the awards with "The Star Spangled Banner."CCTI announced Brandon Poole as Valedictorian and Gregory Oboril as Salutatorian.The senior class officers were presented with gifts. The officers are: President - Sara Tompkins, Vice-President - Jesse Schneck, Secretary - Shelby Snell, Treasurer - Brandon Poole, and Historian - John Breiner.Special Awards:Trese Merkel and Gregory Oboril: Scholastic Excellence Award for academic achievement and leadership as a high school scholar.Gabrielle Kline: United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award.Brandon Poole and Greg Oboril: President Barack Obama's Education Award - for Outstanding Academic Excellence.Ronald Dowd & Fallon Hill: President Barack Obama's Education Award for Academic Achievement.Trese L. Merkel and Jennifer Bortz: Argall Good Citizenship AwardAaron Fehnel (Carpentry), Justin Muthard (Electrical Construction Maintenance), and Scott Lignore (HVAC): Carbon Builders Association Award (CP, ECM, HVAC). The award gifts were valued at $200 each.Aaron Fehnel & Josh Getz: Concourse Club Award. Award $250 each.Sara Tompkins: Dr. George P. Thomas Memorial Scholarship. Award $500.Sara Tompkins: Jim Thorpe Rotary Club. Award $500.Tori Dimmig: Gnaden Huetten Auxiliary Scholarship Award. Award $500.Jenn Bortz: Palmerton Area Service Club. Award $1,000.Rebecca Barnhart & Dustin Kresge: Palmerton Hungarian Club Award. Award $100 each.Jordon Dotter, Trese Merkel, Brandon Poole, and Colton Shoemaker: The Howard Weir Memorial Award.Half time Student Certificates:Half time students were recognized for their completion of their trade areas.Lehighton Area School District: Derrick Strohl (Electrical Construction Maintenance), Jacob Vargson (Graphic Design), and Amanda Walck (Cosmetology).Panther Valley School District: David Aungst (Automotive Collision Repair), Stephanie Blum (Marketing), Kassandra Gray (Marketing).Weatherly Area School District: Michael Bray (Precision Machine), Nick Covine (Culinary), Cindy Cunnius (Data Processing), Brandon Lindemuth (Welding), Shawn McKee (Electrical Construction Maintenance). Douglas Pierno (Precision Machine), Ann Marie Shevlin (Health/Medical). Douglas Pierno: The Weatherly Rotary Club Award. Award $50. Anna Marie Shelvin: The Wayne & Jayne Hittinger Award. Award $100.Technical Awards:Marketing: Stephanie Blum, Jordan Dotter, Shawn Bognar, Tasha Bender, Kasey Gray, Tyler Strohl, Megan Heil, Bree-Anne D'Esposito, and Brandon Poole. Each student either received certificates, gifts, monetary gifts, and/or gift cards. Tasha Bender: The Jim Thorpe Lioness Club Award. Award $100.DECA Awards:Chapter President and Outstanding DECA member: Brandon Poole; Outstanding Attitude and Commitment to DECA: Stephanie Blum; Four Year Members: Bree-Anne D'Esposito; Three year members: Tasha Bender, Kasey Gray, Megan Heil, Fallon Hill, Brandon Poole; Two year members Shawn Bognar, Jordan Dotter, Gabby Kline, Tyler Strohl, Jake Vargson, Cara Shubeck, Sara Tompkins; One year members Steven Frable and Becca Barnhart.The following students have earned their certifications in Customer Service sponsored by The National Retail Federation: Tasha Bender, Megan Heil, Brandon Poole, Stephanie Blum, Bree Anne D'Espositio, Kasey Gray, Jordan Dotter, and Shawn Bognar.The following students have earned their certification in "Sales and Service" sponsored by the Retail Federation: Tasha Bender, Brandon Poole, Stephanie Blum, and Shawn Bognar.Brandon Poole is the recipient of the PA DECA scholarship and the PA State Business scholarship. Combined he earned $1000 from PA DECA. Brandon Poole was awarded $9000 to Johnson & Wales University per year for four years for his DECA involvement and high academic achievement. He will receive $36,000.00 in scholarship dollars.Stephanie Blum, Kasey Gray, Megan Roseman, and Jess Kohutka won 1st place in the Chapter Awards program.Tasha Bender and Megan Heil won 2nd place at the state conference in Advertising Campaign.Tasha Bender was awarded $9,000 to Johnson & Wales University per year for four years for her DECA involvement and high academic achievement. She will receive $36,000 in scholarship dollars.Bree-Anne D'Espositio and Kelly Ann Higgins won 3rd place in the Learn and Earn Event at the state conference.National DECA recognized Tasha Bender and Brandon Poole with the Emerging Leader Honor Award.Auto Collision & Repair: Cara Shubeck: Monetary award and a Snap - On Screwdriver Kit; Andrew Orach: Monetary award. He also received the Charles A. Snyder Memorial Award of $50. He will also receive a gift card from Palmerton Auto Parts; David Aungst: Monetary award, plaque, and Snap-On Screwdriver Kit. He is also receiving the Timothy P. Jupina Award for $200.Auto Service Technology: Ron Dowd: Gift card donated by Palmerton Auto Parts. Also, The Charles A. Snyder Memorial Fund for $50. Also, the AAA East Penn Award for $100. Also, The Ernest C. Ginder Memorial Scholarship Award for $600.Carpentry: Terry Smith: Monetary, donated by Godshall & Kane Architect; Aaron Fehnel: Plaque and $150 donated by Terraform Contractors.Cooperative Education: David Aungst, Kyle Brinker, Johnathan Breiner, Joel Miller and Justin Muthard: $120 each donated by The Kovatch Corporation.Cosmetology: Kim Pera, Amanda Walck, Kali Weller received awards donated by the following: Morris Flamingo, Cosmo Professionals, Major Advance, Burmax, Paul Mitchell and Carbon Career & Technical Institute. Kim Pera also received The Lisa Shook Memorial Fund for $400. And, The La Vaun Fisher Memorial Fund for $100. Kali Weller also received The Roxanne Strohl Memorial Award for $50. And, The Lisa Shook Memorial Fund for $600.Culinary Arts: Jenn Bortz: $50 donated by Kortie Meats and $25 donated by Techno Ply. Ltd; Fallon Hill: $50 donated by Panther Valley Women's Club; Gabrielle Kline: $50 donated by The Kevin Niederer Memorial Scholarship, $100.00 donated by Zimmerman's Dairy, $25 donated by Techno Ply Ltd, and a complete knife set valued at $150 donated by Sysco Co; Colton Shoemaker: A knife set, valued at $150 donated by A-1 Restaurant Supply; Sara Tompkins: $50 donated by Tommy Burke.Electrical Construction /Maintenance: Justin Muthard: Klein tool pouch with tools valued at $300, from Klein Tools & Lighting Fixture & Supply Co., $25 donated by Godshall & Kane Architect.Graphic Design: Julius Casari, James Della Vecchio, Trese Merkel, and Kayla Sharwell received monetary awards. Julius Casari: $1000 from the Franklin Township Lions Club. Rebecca Barnhart: Franklin Township Elementary School PTO Award for $50. Jacob Vargson and Trese Merkel received monetary awards for scoring highest on the NOCTI in Graphic Design.Health/Medical Assistant: Tori Dimmig, Kayla Evert, Amanda Frohnheiser, Cody Muthard, Ann Marie Shevlin, and Shelby Snell will graduate with their Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate. They received certificates, pins, and gifts from CCTI. Cody Muthard: $25 gift donated by Nesquehoning Lions Club for be a non-traditional student in the health/medical field. Shelby Snell: for outstanding senior in health/medical also received plaque, certificate, pin, and gifts.Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning: Kyle Brinker, Austin Kerr, Scott Lignore, and Codi Sigley. Each student was awarded tools donated by Bath Supply, Meier Supply, MSC Industrial Supply Company and CCTI. Codi Sigley: $300 from Bowmanstown/Parryville Lions Club.Management Information Systems: Josh Getz: $250 from The Dan Reese Memorial Award; Stephany Villalta: Monetary award donated by Godshall & Kane Architect.Precision Machine Technology: Tyler Hahn: $100 from the Dean Beers Scholarship, 12" Digital Vernier Calipers valued at $300; Bo Haydt: receiving $100 from the Dean Beers Scholarship, $250 from the Craig S. Graver Memorial Award, 12" digital Vernier Calipers valued at $300; Dustin Kresge: monetary award donated by Godshall & Kane Architect; Cody Parson: $100 from the Dean Beers Scholarship, a Universal Dial Calipers from Beers Tooling & Machine Inc.; Jesse Schneck: $100 from the Dean Beers Scholarship, a Digimatic Caliper from Blue Mt. Machine, $300 from Bowmanstown/Parryville Lions Club.Welding: Brandon Lindemuth: Real Gear auto Darkening Helmet donated by GTS Welco; Jeremy Breiner: Pro - Hobby Welding Helmet donated by Blue Mt. Machine; Justin House: $250 donated from the Mahoning Township Lions Club Award; Joel Miller: $50 from the Franklin Township Elementary School PTO Award; Greg Oboril: plaque, Gift donated by GTS. Justin House: Mahoning Township Lions Club Award for $250.National Vocational-Technical Honor Society:Seniors: Jennifer Bortz, Aaron Fehnel, Joshua Getz, Fallon Hill, Gabby Kline, Trese Merkel, Greg Oboril, Brandon Poole, Jesse Schneck, and Sara TompkinsAdministrative Awards:Brandon Poole: Business Administrator's Award. Award was plaque, and $500.Trese Merkel: Principal's Award. Award was plaque, and $500.Greg Oboril: Director's Award. Award was plaque, and $500.It was announced by Administrative Director, David Reinbold and Principal, Brent Borzak that 97 percent of the senior class received advanced or proficient on the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) exams. The state average/expectation percentage is in the mid 70s. The class of 2012 received the highest NOCTI scores in the history of CCTI.