Students get fired up at Goose Creek High
Tech classes help spark interest in school, future
GOOSE CREEK — Josh Carmack spent his first 10 years of school in special education classes, lacking the motivation to succeed academically.
Now the Goose Creek High School senior is the talk of his school for building an intricate "wildlife" glass-top table and four chairs. The outdoor furniture set, which Carmack created in welding class, is expected to be one of the highest-demand items during the silent auction portion of Berkeley County's Teacher Forum instructional fair Feb. 15.
The Post and Courier
Senior Josh Carmack puts the finishing touches on a steel-and-glass set of table and chairs that he designed and welded in class.
Although he's spent five years in high school, Carmack is on track to graduate in the spring. He's left special education classes behind for mainstream courses. And he was named Goose Creek High's student of the month for January.
Carmack credits the school's welding class for his turnaround.
Roughly 150 to 200 students each year request one of the 50 open slots in Tim Burgsteiner's welding class. Students are selected based on their discipline and attendance records. Once enrolled, they tackle projects such as holiday parade floats and hurdles for the track team.
Carmack is one of many students who have benefited from the career and technical education courses available in Berkeley County's comprehensive high schools, which include such subjects as health sciences, sports medicine and electronics.
"I have opportunities now that I wouldn't have ever had," Carmack said. "It's totally turned my life around, and there are a lot of other students who also can't wait to come back here every day."
At Goose Creek High, "back here" refers to a cluster of career and technical education classes housed in a far corner of the campus. Instructors who lead the 10 courses — the most in the district — often work together on projects, meaning a welding student might use the computers in architectural and mechanical design to sketch out an idea.
Allowing hundreds of students to take part in hands-on projects each day also has an impact on Goose Creek High's core academic classes, said Sherri Scoggins, the school's career specialist. Welding students who use fire to mold steel or architectural design students who use complicated mathematical equations to create blueprints "see the relevance of why they need chemistry or geometry for their chosen line of work," Scoggins said. It gives students who are at risk of dropping out a reason to attend class every day, she said.
Berkeley is the only school district in the Lowcountry that has pursued a full-fledged comprehensive high school concept, with career and technical education classes available on the same campus as academic courses. In Charleston County, the Garrett Academy of Technology is the only vocational school. In Dorchester County, many students travel to the Career and Technology Center for masonry, automotive repair and cosmetology.
Ten years ago, Berkeley County moved away from separate vocational centers and added career and technology wings to its existing high schools. That shift opened hands-on courses to a larger group of students, some of whom start with only a casual interest, said Gwen Scarborough, the district's school-to-career coordinator.
Burgsteiner began Goose Creek's welding class in 1998, and he has added machines every year. In addition to using traditional torches, the welding students have access to a plasma-cutting machine, which cuts sheets of steel with laserlike precision. Students create a variety of items, including backyard grills and signs for local businesses, and they often sell finished products to fund trips to state competitions. Graduates who spend two years in welding can obtain jobs with starting pay of $17 per hour.
Carmack's wildlife table has attracted a new level of attention for the popular program. The 4-foot-by-4-foot glass-top table boasts smooth edges and stands about 3 feet high. The four steel chairs, painted black, feature animal silhouettes of rams, deer, birds and wolves.
Carmack, who once had no plans for the future, envisioned and completed the entire project. Since first setting foot in Goose Creek High's welding shop, he's participated in a co-op program at Master Sheet Metal and spent a summer in New Mexico welding walls for a new nuclear testing lab. Instead of taking study hall, Carmack returns to the shop every day to serve as a teaching assistant for first-year welding students. He's applying for a scholarship to attend the 60-week NASCAR Technical Institute in North Carolina, where he'll learn to manufacture stock cars.
Scarborough said Carmack's story shows the importance of providing students with a strong direction and a career-based focus.
"He's a shining star," she said. "But that's what can happen when a student is able to find his niche."
Reach Mindy B. Hagen at mhagen@postandcourier.com or 937-5433.
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Comments
theronce (anonymous) says...
10-4, Early. I also benefited from similar classes 40 years ago in Georgia. Many European models are so much better than our one-size-fits-all-classical government schools. But how do you convince the educational establishment who act as if they know everything in the universe to change. How about a little less Shakespeare and writing papers on drivel when we could teach the history of carpentry and how to write a manual on the proper way to use a power tool to coincide with some hands-on instruction.
February 5, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cede (anonymous) says...
What an inspiring story both for the student and the instructor. It is easy to look at all of the negative things in the world but I see a really bright future for this young guy! God Bless the Instructor that saw this "diamond in the rough!"
February 5, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
Anyone remember Murray Vocational? The school system would do much better having those types of schools than popping up with all of these different charter schools. Advanced classes are already in place for those who want to be academically challenged. Some kids are just cut out to be hands on students, and I think it is great that they can be given the chance to develop their talents.
February 5, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tygers1231 (anonymous) says...
What a GREAT story for the front page today. A young man doing things to better himself in school. I commend the Goose Creek High for not letting this young man fall through the cracks like so many others. Glad to see this instead of those dreaded stories of young people loosing their lives way to early. Here's to Mr. Carmack, Keep up the good work! I will surely go by the high school and check out your creation.
February 5, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jmw29410 (anonymous) says...
Great job! I took the Welding program at Trident Tech in the 70s, and the Program Head was dead set against us doing anything that couldn't be directly used at the Shipyard. I would have loved to work on more creative and artistic technique.
February 5, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
crankyyankee (anonymous) says...
Tim is a good friend and great guy. He has always tried to get the kids involved in the class and outside. His own child is a testimony to his dedication. Good job Tim!
February 5, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Beerkrugul (anonymous) says...
Yep, we will always need welders, capenters, mechanics, ect.
Not everyone is college material. But keep in mind that you still need to learn good english, writing skills, math and commuication.
February 5, 2008 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GG (anonymous) says...
There are many career and technology education (CATE)classes scattered throughout the CHS County schools. Many schools also have gone to setting up career majors based on career clusters.
Granted, it is very expensive to set up full CATE programs in every school. A welding program usually has around 15 booths which are extremely expensive to install and maintain. A building construction class must have all the newest equipment to keep up with the trends. Most other programs like Cosmotology, Health Sciences, Culinary Arts, Auto Body Repair, Automotive Mechanics, etc., are also very expensive and must constantly be resupplying equipment to keep up with trends in the different industries, mnay of which have been computerized.
There has been a conserted effort by educational leaders to secure partnerships with businesses and industries who can offer monetary, as well as, instructional support through co-ops, internships, etc.
If you are a business owner in a career area, seek out the principals in your area high schools. They would greatly appreciate any positive role you can play with their programs.
As a final note, the Culinary Arts program at Wando High School, for instance, has had the opportunity to work with the Peninsula Grill over the past few years. Partly due to this relationship and to the strength of the CA program itself, this program has won the SC Pro-Start competition for the last two years. And this year will be going to San Diego to represent SC in the national competition.
This is what can happen when the World of Work joins hands with educators.
February 5, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
My_50Cents_Worth (anonymous) says...
Awesome story. There is hope!
February 5, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Girleygirl (anonymous) says...
Awesome story and very nice looking table.
February 5, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GG (anonymous) says...
FYI-
Our Charleston County schools do offer these courses around the district, as well as, at Garrett Technical HS.
Some schools may not offer all courses, but students do have the option of attending any school in CCSD that offers a program they wish if their school does not provide it.
If your student is interested in a particular career course, contact the CCSD Career and Technology Department.
They were very helpful in helping me find a Health Science program for my daughter. I also found out how many opportunities for certifications and post high school trainings there are in our schools for students. And through this program, my daughter is also participating in a pharmacy technician training program during her senior year.
February 5, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TacrolimusAddict (anonymous) says...
"Roughly 150 to 200 students each year request one of the 50 open slots in Tim Burgsteiner's welding class."
With this kind of success, how about the School District providing enough welding booths to accommodate the other 100-150 students who want to take this course.
February 5, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestonnative1963 (anonymous) says...
This was a GREAT STORY! and I am glad someone is doing something abut VOC ED. in this area. BUT WHY is this headline news when the BUSH BUDGET is outragious and on page 3...TRILLION$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$4
and you people will still vote for a Republican want you?,,,which presient left office with a surplus, and who blew it. OK I'll tell you...Bill Clinton left us in real goos shape and BUSH blew it
February 5, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestonnative1963 (anonymous) says...
GG--Who would send their kids to school in CC. And YES I live in Mt P. Two education degrees, NBCT...no longer teachng due to pay scale, but when I did I tuaght in Dorchester and Berkeley...long drive but worth it
February 5, 2008 at 9:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestonnative1963 (anonymous) says...
excuse my typos in the above..taught,,,etc still made about BUSH
February 5, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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