Exciting News and Updates
Etowah Construction and SkillsUSA!
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Introducing Ty Casteel, teacher of the Etowah Construction Program. Ty has been in education for twenty years. He started his career as the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Cherokee High School, before moving over to Woodland High School in 2005 where he served for 16 years. Ty has been a resident of Woodstock for twenty-one years and when the opportunity to move back to his community became available, he knew it was time to come home and finish his career. He liked the challenge of taking the newly formed construction program at Etowah to the next level. His goal is to work with the teams in place and take the vision of those that came before him and make it reality.
This year, Ty has worked to expand what was already in place. An electrical wiring training area has been added to the shop. A grant received from Cobb EMC helped fund the purchase of electrical supplies and tools. Ty is currently working with local partners to get the shop set-up as a construction training center with zones. This will allow students to have a dedicated masonry, electrical wiring, framing and plumbing area. This training will help students be ready to enter the construction industry. A dust collection system is in the final stages of installation which will assure the students have the best and safest work area possible.
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Ty and the Etowah Construction program are eager to engage industry partners in the teaching experience. When students have to opportunity to learn hands-on with professionals in the trades, it is incredibly impactful. The program is currently looking from plumbers, HVAC, electricians, surveyors, equipment operators and builders to volunteer to speak to the students and help train them in their trade. The goal is to prepare these students to step out of the classroom and into the workplace/jobsite. When an industry partner gets involved, they have the unique opportunity to interact with these students, who may end up being your best recruit. If you’re an industry professional and you're interested in getting involved with Etowah Construction, please contact Ty Casteel Ty.Casteel@cherokeek12.net
Looking for other ways to support this program? Here are two ways you could contribute.
1. Stay on the lookout for details about the Etowah High School Spring Market.
The Etowah Construction program will be partnering with the Etowah Agriculture program at a market event the week of March 28th-April 1st. The Agriculture program will be selling plants and the Construction program will have some of their woodworking projects for sale.
2. A growing construction program has ongoing supply needs. To help meet these needs, Etowah Construction has created a wish list for desired materials. You can access this list via https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4ca9a62aa3f9c61-wish
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We had the pleasure of representing the Matiak Foundation at the 2022 SkillsUSA Georgia competition on February 25th at the Georgia World Congress Center. This was the first in-person Georgia event since having to cancel in 2020 and holding remote contests in 2021, due to COVID. Although a smaller showing than past years, it was a positive step to a full SkillsUSA Georgia expo and contest, hopefully, to be held next year.
As an active part of the HVAC contest, we had the pleasure of meeting six impressive students (3 high school students and 3 post-secondary students). Their passion for their trade of choice was evident as they worked through the contest. There was an eagerness to learn and grow, which was truly a pleasure to witness. Some of the contestants were in their final semester of their programs, as other had just started, but each one gave their maximum effort. Like every year that we participate, we walked away encouraged by these youth.
We are thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in this amazing event and can’t wait to see what the coming years bring. Thank you to our fellow volunteers and to all that participated in making the event a success.
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At Matiak Foundation we love being able to support such great initiatives in our community. That support is made possible through your donations. One easy way to donate to Matiak Foundation is by shopping on Amazon. AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases to your chosen charity at no cost to you.
Matiak Foundation recently received a check from Amazon from $6200 estimated recent eligible purchases. You can choose Matiak Foundation as your charity of choice or use our unique charity link https://smile.amazon.com/ch/83-0563317
You can also donate directly through our website and designate funds directly to one of these initiatives.
Thank you in advance for your support!
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