Carbon Career & Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe spent the 2014-2015 school year participating in the Community Service Project for the Distributive Education Club of America, helping students prepare for job interviews, business experience, and on the job training techniques.

Students extended their abilities to helping Family Promiseof Carbon County, the only homeless shelter in the county to assist homeless families with children ages 18 and under.Since starting in September, CCTI has hosted several fundraisers, such as Bagger for a Day events hosted by Country Harvest in Palmerton, which raised $439.They attended Mauch Chunk 5 & 10's Customer Appreciation Day on Nov. 14, and had $128 in donations alone as they took Santa pictures, created letters from Santa, and sold candles.On Feb. 19, 30 students raised $835 after costs were deducted through sponsorships and donations for the Bowl-A-Thon in Palmerton at Haja Lanes. They also had generous donations from several businesses in and around Carbon County to show theirsupport for community service, their citizens, and the causeof homelessness in their owncommunity.Country Harvest, Weis Supermarkets, and Giant Food Store donated $100 gift cards.Others included a $50 donation from Getz Personal Care Home, gummy candies from Rainbow's End in Jim Thorpe for their Trick-or-Treat Bag fundraiser, two Iron Pig Tickets from the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, a $100 check from their Welding Program, and a van fixed up by CCTI's ACR, Shine After-School Program, and Kovatch employees who oversaw the project.With furniture donations from the community picked up and delivered by the students,clothing donations from the school and community, and volunteers recruited, they saw four families move out and start their life anew, 250 pounds of clothes donated, $2,500 earned in monetarydonations, and public awareness reached hundreds.The students placed second at the State Conference in February at Hershey Lodge and participated again at the National level at DECA ICDC in Orlando, Florida.