One thing visitors discovered during an open house Wednesday night at Carbon Career & Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe was that at this school, you’ll learn more than just the proverbial “three R’s.”

Students who attend still are taught reading, writing and arithmetic, but they also can get hands-on instruction on how to fix dented vehicles, install electrical wiring, care for homebound individuals, style hair, practice culinary arts and prepare digital marketing, to name a few of the topics.

The open house had several hundred people passing through the halls, stopping in the various shops and seeing firsthand the complexities of the trades that are offered to students.

In addition to the open house, various service organizations had tables set up in the lobby where information was distributed.

State Sen. David Argall was represented by aide Brad Hurley, who gave out child safety literature as well as coloring books to children.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley also gave away various items, including literature on state programs. He also presented awards to local winners of a Carbon County poster contest.

St. Luke’s University Health Network and Lehigh Valley Health Network had tables, as did Jim Thorpe Chief of Police Joseph Schatz, all offering interaction with the public.

To the rear of the school, a car show was held in connection with the open house.

The main focus, though, was on the school itself.

Upon entering the sprawling complex, visitors could chat with Michele Klock, co-op coordinator at CCTI, who offered information and answered questions.

Klock said that once students who attend the school complete two years in a trade, “they are eligible to go out in the field and get on-hands experience.”

Klock serves as the liaison between students and employers. She said that last year, 50 students participated in the co-op experience.

At some of the shops, teachers were stationed to discuss their fields of study. In others, such as cosmetology and graphic design, the visitors could see firsthand the skills that the students are taught.

In the cosmetology room, students were styling hair for individuals while visitors passed through. Arianna Lewis of Lehighton worked on the hair of her mother, Juanita, who sat quietly while having her style changed.

Math teacher Steve Anderson manned a table in the hallway and explained how even though vocation is important at the school, so are the basic educational topics.

He had a diagram of a precision machine and pointed out how math skills are necessary, not only for using the machine, but for setting it up.

“You must do the math sometimes before starting the machine up,” he said.

In the graphic design shop, projects created by the students were displayed throughout the classroom, including custom T-shirts, decorated drinking glasses, advertising buttons and candy with custom-designed wrappers.

Teacher Maritza Reinbold said students are required to come up with a business idea and then do a branding project.

“The students had to design a logo, design packaging, create a slogan” and otherwise promote the product, she said.

Kadence Tully of Palmerton had a business whose concept was a “Cosmic Cafe,” in which a space-inspired theme was used. She displayed items that included a meteor cookies.

Meanwhile, Savanna Marstellar of Jim Thorpe came up with the idea of “Spooky Sweets.”

“It’s a Halloween-inspired cafe and sweet shop,” she said.

Shops like auto collision repair, welding and heating, ventilation and air conditioning garnered interest, not only because of their visual aspect but because of the complex computers in each of the rooms.

Hal Resh, in his 38th year as instructor of the auto service and technology class (formerly called auto repair), said the school has a number of vehicles on which students practice. After they attain enough familiarity with the topic, students sometimes work on vehicles from community members.

He said the major change since he started teaching is “keeping up with technology.”

Resh cited as examples computers in vehicles and electric vehicles, which offer different challenges than gasoline-powered vehicles.

Many of Resh’s students have won first place awards in various competitions over the years.

Resh said that his most rewarding project was when his students rebuilt an old firetruck for the Mahoning Valley Fire Company several years ago.

The day after the project was completed, the fire company entered the truck in a parade and won a first-place prize.

“We try to be community oriented,” he said.