Monroe Career & Technical Institute is celebrating 50 years of providing students with a quality technical education that often led them to a four-year college.

“It is a pleasure to be here this evening as we come together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Career and Technical Institute,” Susan Kresge, Pleasant Valley School District director and chairperson for the Joint Operating Committee for MCTI, said on Thursday night.

“Wow, 50 years back in 1972 we were all singing ‘American Pie’ and watching the original ‘Hawaii Five-O’ TV show and gas was 55 cents a gallon,” Kresge said.

She gave a special thank you to the stakeholders who have been a part of the school’s progress and to the current staff.

“Thank you for everything that you do every day. Please continue to inspire our students to reach for their dreams. I wish the entire school team continued success as we move forward and congratulate MCTI on their 50th anniversary.”

Students at the celebration answered questions on how MCTI helped them find their career path.

Sebastian Babon, a senior at East Stroudsburg, South said “It really made a difference in what I wanted do.”

He is studying law enforcement and cyber crime, and plans to go to college.

“I know I want to be in this field. There are so many opportunities.”

Babon is still considering his choices. Northampton Community College is possible.

“I can start my own business. I could work for a government agency or a large company. Being here I have been able to open my mind and think about my future,” Babon said.

Carson Beers, a senior at Pleasant Valley, studies drafting at MCTI.

He wants to go to college and study mechanical engineering and credits his teacher with showing him how to think through the problems and solve them.

Monroe Career & Technical Institute offers students 21 programs of study and three tech prep programs.

“Our students at MCTI can earn 30 college credits while they are going to school here,” said Debra Schuler, executive secretary at MCTI.

Programs are approved Pennsylvania Department of Education career and technical programs that articulate the secondary career and technical education to a postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate programs.

These 24 programs align the secondary courses to a postsecondary program to complete a degree or certificate.