INSIDE Byrd Elementary School cuts ribbon on new playground area > page 3
Volume 59, Number 37 • October 2, 2014
Refurbished facility offers students new opportunities
Celebrating with the YMCA
Farm to Table event features county native’s culinary talent Contributed Report
Goochland Tech bolsters school division’s Career and Technical Ed. program By Roslyn Ryan Editor
When the current members of the Goochland County School Board took office in 2011, one of the group’s first goals was to ensure a challenging and robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for county students. This week, as the school system puts the finishing touches on an $800,000 renovation to the building formerly known as the county’s Specialty Center, the school board has taken a major step toward meeting that goal. Now known as Goochland Tech, the 11,878square-foot space boasts fully equipped areas for programs, including heavy equipment operation, carpentry and nursing. There is room for students to study robotics, and one for them to train to be emergency medical technicians. And there’s another highlight: A gleaming state-of-the-art kitchen and serving area for students in the culinary arts program. According to Bruce Watson, the director of career and technical education for Goochland County Schools, the goal of the increased focus on CTE is to provide students the tools they need to fully explore what they might wish to pursue after graduation. “When students graduate from Goochland High School, we want them to be college and career ready,” Watson said. “By increasing the see Goochland Tech > 14
Photo by Roslyn Ryan
Kayleigh Jamerson, 8, spent Sept. 28 celebrating both her own birthday and that of the Goochland Family YMCA, which marked 10 years on Sunday. In honor of the occasion, the YMCA invited all Goochland residents to a party at the facility—complete with cake, a band and games for the kids to enjoy. For more on the milestone, see page 8. Visit the Goochland Gazette on Facebook to hear YMCA Director Jay Shively’s thoughts on the 10 year anniversary.
Goochland native Harrison Keevil, an acclaimed chef at Brookville Restaurant in Charlottesville, will soon be lending his talents to help a local nonprofit further its mission. The Center for Rural Culture (CRC) is hosting its third annual Farm to Table Dinner at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Huguenot Springs property just off of 288 and 711 in Powhatan County and Keevil will join star chefs Dean Maupin of Charlottesville’s C&O Restaurant and Dylan Fultineer of Richmond’s Rappahannock Restaurant to create a feast using produce from local farms, vineyards, and breweries. While the Sunday Farm Table dinner is the CRC’s largest fundraiser, it also fulfills the group’s mission. Using food primarily from producers featured on the CRC’s Local Roots website reinforces the CRC mission to “support local economies and agriculture.” In line with the group’s see Farm to Table > 14