The Joint Operating Committee of the Carbon Career & Technical Institute, Jim Thorpe, received a report of recent student activity during its July meeting.

Guidance counselor Eugene Colosimo told the board that two CCTI students, Stacy Bos and Cole Peto, from the Jim Thorpe Area and Panther Valley districts respectively, were nominated to attend the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar in central Pennsylvania, with Peto being selected to represent the school.

He said Peto attended the conference held June 5 to 8 at Millersville University, saying, “Thanks to instructor Mike Garrant for recommending him to go as our student. He (Peto) made it based on our criteria. We did a fair election, looked at GPAs and extracurricular activities.”

Colosimo said that the Hugh O’Brian organization volunteer Megyn Stevens sent a letter to CCTI congratulating Peto on his accomplishments and even requested he select the sophomores to attend next year’s conference.

“Cole had the opportunity to participate in individual, group and service leadership presentations, activities, and reflections,” Stevens wrote. “He jumped right in from the moment he arrived at HOBY, and took full advantage of this incredible and once in a lifetime opportunity.”

High school sophomores from area schools are chosen to attend the leadership seminar based on emerging leadership ability, ability to work well with others, desire for new pursuits and a willingness to learn and share.

Graduates’ plans

Colosimo presented the board a breakdown of the Class of 2025 and its members’ post-high school plans.

He said of the 97 students who graduated, 57 will be entering the workforce right after school; 33 will be attending college; two will enter the military; and five will attend technical or trade schools.

The guidance counselor said that in areas of testing, 88 students took the NOCTI test with the following results: 95.3% finished “competent” or “advanced” in the written portion; 94.2% finished competent or advanced in performance; and overall, 92% finished competent or advanced.

In the NIMS testing, six students took the test; all finished competent or advanced, he said.

Other students

Colosimo said the administration and staff continue to implement the positive behavior plan, with the school rewarding students who go above and beyond with $10 Walmart gift cards.

“We had an issue where a sub (substitute teacher) ended up in the wrong classroom for a few minutes, so a class had no teacher briefly, Colosimo said. “Two students came and advised the administration. and for their actions, they were both presented gift cards.”

Elsewhere, Christine Trovato, facilitator of special education, gave a follow-up report on the Math Camp held at CCTI, which concluded on June 19.

Trovato thanked the students who participated, teachers for providing meaningful instruction, parents/guardians for allowing their children to attend, culinary staff for providing meals, and drivers for getting students safely to and from CCTI.

“The Math Camp provided students the opportunity to review concepts and be exposed to technical program math concepts,” Trovato said. “Teachers administered a pretest to gain knowledge of students’ knowledge, concepts they remember and those they needed additional review.”

She said the students completed an exit survey and commented their favorite part of math camp included refreshing their memory of basic math concepts, learning new ways to solve problems, meeting new people, touring the building, and lunch.