Progress week 1 by Lisa Counts

c M Y K 50 inch proGress 2013:

www.herald-dispatch.com

progress 2013:

The Herald-Dispatch’s annual Progress Editions take a look at our Tri-State economy and business community. Today’s sections focus on education and industry. Other topics will be examined over the next three Sundays.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

edUcaTIoN

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Students participate in a school bus evacuation drill at Fairland West Elementary School in Proctorville.

INsIde ThIs secTIoN

SAFETY OF STUDENTS IN LOCAL SCHOOLS

Training, drills best prevention, officials say sTorY BY BILL roseNBerGer / The heraLd-dIspaTch F

Putnam students head for competition. / 5G

10-year plan huge task for Marshall Looking at what

needs to change and trying to predict a future a demanding task at Marshall. / 1H

ocal school officials have said in recent weeks, in light of the deadly elementary school shooting Dec. 14 in Connecticut, that no building is ever going to be completely safe. That was highlighted at Sandy Hook Elementary when the gunman shot out the glass in the front door, making any camera system or door-locking mechanism useless. And, just last month, a Huntington High School student who had been suspended made his way into the gym locker room, where he showed at least one other student a handgun he had in his possession. The 15-year-old left campus and was arrested a few hours later. Law enforcement later determined he was not a threat to the school, but the fact is a student went undetected in bringing a gun into the school. Please see SAFETY/2G

“We can do all this stuff, but ... if we want to be serious, we have to ask what to do if a person gets in.” Mike O’Dell

assistant superintendent of operations for Cabell County Schools

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students inspired by robotics

brosenberger@herald-dispatch.com

C M Y K 50 inch 2G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Progress 2013: Education

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Sam Martin stands beside a General Electric digital mobile x-ray on at Radon in Ona. Sam earned credit for business and marketing by working at his father’s company, Radon. Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Personalizing

THe HigH scHool exPerience By BILL ROSENBERGER The Herald-Dispatch

brosenberger@herald-dispatch.com

ONA —SamMartinhasbeenpassionate about a career in marketing since his earlydaysasastudentatCabellMidland High School. He took all four available marketing courses but wanted to take what he learned and put it into a real-life experiencethatalsowouldcountasabusinessclasscredittowardgraduation. Thanks to one of two Cabell County initiatives which began three years ago as part of an extensive Innovation Zone plan, he was able to accomplish that goal by working at his father’s company, Radon Medical Imaging, in Ona. That high school Innovation Zone plan came about in 2010 and included new protocols for incoming freshmen, multiple-yearliteracyplans,thecreation ofcareeracademieswithintheschools, early graduation, the ability to recover creditduringschoolhoursandagradual

On 4G:

Schools in Cabell County School district

increaseofthedropoutageto18. It also created extended learning opportunities and embedded credit. The first allows students to use an experience outside the classroom to earn credits toward graduation. The second allows students to earn full or partial credit in one course through participation in another. The hope then — and now — is to provide individualized educational opportunities for students, resulting in more students excelling academically and fewer dropping out. “It’s taking what a student wants and making it a credit or grade,”

Cabell County initiative allowing students to earn credits in new ways

Martin said. “There’s nothing more personal than that.” Martin was one of 34 students during the 2011-2012 school year to earn credits through an extended learning opportunity, or ELO. Another 203 credits were earned through the embedded credit option. Thisyear,therearenearly200students enrolledinanELO,andnearly300taking advantageofembeddedcredits,showing that students are taking advantage of theseopportunitiestoexpandtheireducation.Andthatwastheideabehindthe creationofELOs,saidSharronChenault, the curriculum supervisor fine arts for Cabell County Schools.

Please see CABELL/3G

Instructor Danny Arthur helps Cabell County Career Technology Center student Phillip Atchley with measurements for wood cutting as they work on a Habitat House in Huntington. Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Safety

n Continued from 1G

“The nature of the design of a (school) facility does not lend itself to being secure,” said Mike O’Dell, the assistant superintendent of Operations for Cabell County Schools. “We can do all this stuff, but ... if we want to be serious, we have to ask what to do if a person gets in.” So — even in the midst of the latest discussion of whether to put shatter-proof, clear film on windows and doors to at least slow down a shooter — the best deterrent is still humans executing safety plans, O’Dell and others said. Proper training and drills could be the best prevention, because, O’Dell said, “it only takes one careless employee, and it negates all the money we have spent (on technology). The best deterrence is a well-trained staff.” That’s why Cabell County performs lockdown audits on every school throughout the year. O’Dell said that entails someone walking the circumference of the school checking for unlocked doors. They also check to make sure every employee is wearing his or her ID badge. It takes just one employee without an badge for the entire school to fail the audit, he said. “I want our kids taught if they see an adult in building without Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch a badge, get to the first adult they Students participate in a school bus evacuation drill at Fairland see and report it,” he said. “We West Elementary School in Proctorville. want our kids to react that way.” seriously as well. said Spring Valley High School Repetition and practice “We are educators who are Principal Steve Morris, is it forcTim Stewart, the safety man- practicing emergency response es there to be a plan B. ager for Cabell County Schools techniques. The key is repetition O’Dell and Lynn Hurt, the who was on a panel discussion and practice,” Stewart said. new superintendent in Wayne at a Safe Schools Summit in Fire drills, they said, provide County, both recalled that when Charleston in early February, the greatest training efforts. they were principals, they even said a plan is only good if it is Schools do about a dozen a year, had fire drills in which some practiced and taken seriously. and a requirement is that at least classrooms evacuated through That will lead to the students two must include blocked exits. a window. taking lockdown and fire drills The reason that is important, “If you have a good safety

“If you have a good safety plan, it will become second nature. You have to become vigilant the entire day and aware of everything going on around you.” Jeff Lawless, Lawrence County sheriff

plan, it will become second nature,” said Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless, who spoke at a PTO meeting at Fairland West Elementary on Feb. 5. “You have to be vigilant the entire day and aware of everything going on around you.” That is something Spring Valley’s principal also said during a talk in his office last month. The school, though appealing, would not be designed as such today, he said, because the front doors open right into the cafeteria, where hundreds of students congregate during the lunch periods. “When they put those doors in, I immediately thought, ‘I could blow this door out and keep walking,’” Morris said. The Sandy Hook shooting also played a role in him assembling a safety committee including JROTC instructors, students, local police and fire officials, and staff to form an evacuation plan. The goal, he said, isn’t just to add the evacuation plan but also to evaluate the current safety procedures and whether the teachers and students know them. “I never really thought about it, but when this really happens, seconds mean lives,” Morris said. “You can prepare and plan, but everyone must be able to do it.” J.C. Booten, a deputy with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department who serves as the school resource officer at all three Wayne County high schools, said he also has met with administrators.

“We started more into the crisis plans and what we can do to update them,” Booten said. Lawless agreed, telling parents tragedies tend to open up the eyes of a lot of people to make places as safe as possible. But he said the culture moves at such a fast pace, things are in the rearview mirror relatively quickly for those outside the blast zone. However, he thinks Newtown already is and will continue to force changes. “In our day-to-day routines, we forget until the next one hits,” Lawless said. “But to see these young grade-school kids slaughtered is something that will be in our hearts and minds for a long time, and real changes are coming.”

Threat assessment

School and law enforcement officials also have talked about the fact that the shooting in Newtown, Conn., was different than most other school shootings in the nation in the past 20 years. Most involved a shooter under the age of 18, who was a student at the school where they opened fire. That’s difficult to grasp, as teachers and administrators work to ensure the education process takes place each day. “First and foremost, they are our students,” O’Dell said. “We have characteristics we and counselors look for. We’ve got to find a happy balance.” Todd Alexander, the administrative assistant for Secondary Schools, said following the

arrest of the suspended student that a lot of credit goes to other students who report what they hear or see. “We catch students with knives several times a year,” Alexander said. “Almost every one of those cases, students have provided that information. They are really good to speak up.” In addition, there is a threat assessment plan that came to fruition following the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. Alexander said for a 2008 story that the assessments were working and recently affirmed that. “Through our threat assessment process, I think we’ve been able to intervene appropriately in a number of cases,” Alexander said. “It has allowed us not to overreact and get students help.” Alexander and Stewart said, overall, they think the county has done a good job ensuring that safety is taken seriously. For the past two years, local law enforcement and EMS have held mock shooting drills at both high schools that have included real students taking part as victims and shooters. In the drills, students are given cards that say what part they play, whether they escape with or without injuries or whether they perish. And none of the first responders know who is playing what role, so it’s as real as possible. “I think we are more prepared now than we ever have been as far as school safety goes,” Alexander said.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Career, tech ed remains jewel for Wayne County on 4G:

By BILL ROSENBERGER The Herald-Dispatch

brosenberger@herald-dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON—Althoughthe winter headlines in Wayne County have been focused on the defeat of the bond and lack of funds to build new schools, there remains one aspect of the school system that is highly regarded throughout West Virginia as among the best. That would be the career and technical education component, which has been recognized with Exemplary Schools awards from the state Department of Education several times. Part of its success is tied to the county having three comprehensive high schools, meaning Spring Valley, Wayne and Tolsia all have on-site career and technical education programs. The other reason it has been so successful, said CTE Director Sandra Pertee, is the collaborative nature

Wayne, Tolsia and Spring Valley high schools offer technical ed

with which her office works with the CTE principals and staff. The schools report the success by showing the numbers. With CTE programs on site, students are scheduling classes at a very high rate. For example, the programs at Tolsia High School have been so popular that 63 percent of the 2012 graduating class also completed a CTE program, said Rick Marrone, the CTE principal. And 249 of the school’s 421 students are taking a CTE class this semester. “The big thing is getting them ready for work or for the next level

of education,” Marrone said. “A lot of parents work in these fields. Students see a snapshot of all these programs in their schools.” Velvet Kelly, the CTE principal at Spring Valley High School, said students are intrigued by the handson experience and challenged by the rigorous work they have to do. This semester, 445 out of the 1,030 students are enrolled in a CTE course, while 47 percent of last year’s graduating class also completed a CTE program. And, at Wayne, 87 of last year’s 102 graduates also completed a CTE program.

Please see WAYNE/4G

Caleb Pennington, left, and Samantha Lockhart demonstrate a physical assessment during therapeutic services class at Spring Valley High School’s Career Technical Education facility. Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Collins Career Center offering program in cardiac sonography Collins Career Center continues to stay on the cutting edge of career technical education with the addition of the cardiEva ac diagnostic medical sonography program.Thecardiacsonography option is a combination of classroom and laboratory instruction that provides education to students wishing to pursue a career in sonography of the heart. Collins Career Center assumed responsibilityforthecardiacoption ofthediagnosticmedicalsonography program from King’s DaughtersMedicalCenterinAugust2010, and the program was moved from the KDMC campus to the Collins Career Center campus. In the world of sonography, the two programs are very different. Diagnosticmedicalsonographyhas concentrationsinobstetrics,general sonography and vascular services. The cardiac option is concentrated solelyonsonographyoftheheart. New classes in cardiac sonography started at Collins Career Center in January 2011, and the students graduated in December

CHRISTIAn

Photos by Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

ABOVE & BELOW: Cabell County Career Technology Center students work on a Habitat for Humanity house in Huntington.

Cabell

n Continued from 2G

“There’s endless possibilities for ELOs. It’s more relevant and personal.”

2012. With the classes housed on the CCC campus, a fulltime laboratory became more easily accessible and the program went from evening hours to daytime hours. The career center has been accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC/DMS). The students in this program continue to have clinicals at KDMC as well as Southern Ohio Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center and Charleston

Area Medical Center. In the near future Collins Career Center will incorporate a vascular modality in the cardiac option. Enrollment in the program is on a selection basis and is limited to five new students per year. The deadline for the application process is the last Friday in May. Find more information online at www.collins-cc.edu. Eva Christian is the marketing director for Collins Career Center.

Open Door Baptist Church would like to congratulate Rev. Jerry Chapman on his 35th Anniversary as pastor of the church.

Joedy Cunningham, associate principal for curriculum instruction and assessment at Huntington High School

“I started getting calls from all over the world,” said Martin, who is a freshman at Marshall University this year. “I took the lead and started getting sales.”

Embedded credit Hundreds of students also are earning embedded credits, mostly for physical education. While athletes can earn their P.E. credit through an extended learning opportunity — because credits toward graduation are not earned through sports — others can earn it through classes and programs that do count for credit. That includes show choir, marching band, dance and JROTC. Show choir, for instance, is described as being extremely physically demanding. Cabell Midland senior Joey Newfeld said students must be in top shape to be able to dance and sing at the same time for long periods of time. His teacher, Leslie Riedel, uses Couch to 5K and Zumba workouts to help get students prepared for the spring competitions that take place each weekend. Newfeld said it has freed his schedule to ta ke additional Advanced Placement courses and a fifth Spanish class that most people never have time to take. Bi g w i n ners of embedded credit are students in the JROTC programs at the two high schools. When they complete their first year, they also earn their physical education credit. After two years, they can chalk up their health credit. After four years, they also get credit for a required senior civics class. M a j o r P a u l C l a rk , t h e instructor of the program at Huntington High, said he anticipates more students will

be able to take all four years of JROTC. In the past, some students would not be able fit it in their schedules because of other graduation requirements. Now, one four-year program provides students the opportunity to earn eight credits toward graduation. “Since JROTC can give you those credits ... it opens up the ability to take other classes,” said sophomore Will Perry, who may take some advanced science courses. “It’s extremely valuable for me and my plans for a military future.” Cunningham said embedded credit offerings have grown because teachers are working together. Those who earn their P.E. credit, for example, also must pass the FITNESSGRAM, a program that assesses a student’s physical fitness. And Clark said he has worked hand-in-hand with the health and civics teachers to make sure he meets the content standards and objectives required by the state. O t her embedded c red it opportunities include body structures and function, a class offered at Cabell Midland that also can count for advanced human anatomy and physiology; foundations of health sciences, which can count for an elective credit through the EDGE (college credit) program; and Advanced Placement government, which can count for Advanced Placement Comparative Government. Students enrolled in the programs at the Cabell County Career Technology Center also are being included in embedded credit. Currently, those who take the building construction program for two years earn a certificate for being a completer and can earn credits for geometry or conceptual math.

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“Students do the work outside the traditional classroom, and we assign a highly qualified teacher to monitor and assess them,” she said. The ELO must meet 80 percent of the state’s required content standards and objectives, and the student also must write a paper and make a public presentation to a panel of teachers. The assistant principals at both Cabell Midland and Huntington high schools both said ELOs work great for students who have mastered a subject outside of school, or who want a class they either can’t fit into their normal schedule or which isn’t offered because enough students didn’t sign up. Currently, there are several students earning credits for classes which might be redundant for them to sit through. Chenault said some students who are musically talented have and are earning credits for such classes as Piano 1 and 2. Two others are earning physical education credit through their participation in a professional dance company in Charleston. At Huntington High, R.J. Senior is earning his Spanish 1 credit and plans to do the same for Spanish 2, because he already is fluent in the language. He grew up in New Mexico and attended an elementary school which taught classes in both English and Spanish. Because eliminating language classes cleared space on his schedule, he is taking Advanced Placement science courses, with plans to take more during his junior and senior years. He has a longterm goal of a career in the medical field. Joedy Cunningham, the associate principal for curriculum, instruction and assessment at Huntington High, said ELOs are helping to personalize the high school experience. The long-term hope is that it helps make high school more relevant and ultimately leads to more students achieving academic success and graduating on time. “There’s endless possibilities for ELOs,” Cunningham said, adding that one senior was able to earn her art credit by doing the design work for the high school yearbook. “It’s more relevant and personal.” In Martin’s case, the experience led to increased sales at his father’s company. He simply started marketing products through a site similar to eBay but used for the medical field.

Courtesy of Eva Christian

Students in Collins Career Center’s cardiac diagnostic medical sonography program receive a combination of classroom and laboratory instruction.

Jerry came to Open Door Baptist after serving as the Youth Pastor at Highlawn Baptist Church in Huntington. He began his ministry on the ﬁrst Sunday in March, 1978. Under Jerry’s leadership the Open Door Baptist Church has been richly blessed and has grown spiritually and in size. Jerry’s partner in his ministry is his wife, Zelphia Chapman. They are the parents of Dana Chapman Gibbs and the late Jerry Chapman, Jr. The Chapmans are the grandparents of Jeffrey and John Gibbs and Emily Chapman Gaskins. Jerry and Zelphia are dearly loved and appreciated by their entire congregation.

Happy Anniversary from your Church Family!

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

4G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Schools in the Cabell County schools system

Here are the schools that are part of the Cabell County Schools system:

High schools Cabell Midland High School, 2300 U.S. 60 E., Ona, WV 25545; phone: 304-7437400; fax: 304-743-7577; website: cmhs.cabe.k12.wv.us Huntington High School, 1 Highlander Way, Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-5286400; fax: 304-528-6422; website: www.edline.net/pages/ Huntington_High_School Cabell County Career Technology Center, 1035 Norway Ave., Huntington, WV 25705; phone: 304-528-5106; fax: 304-528-5110; website: boe.cabe.k12.wv.us/ctc

Middle schools Barboursville Middle School, 1400 Central Ave., Barboursville, WV 25504;

phone: 304-733-3003; fax: 304-733-3009; website: bms. cabe.k12.wv.us Beverly Hills Middle School, Saltwell Road, Huntington, WV 25705; phone: 304-528-5102; fax: 304-5285197; website: www.edline. net/pages/Beverly_Hills_Middle_School Enslow Middle School, 26th Street and Collis Avenue, Huntington, WV 25702; phone: 304-528-5121; fax: 304-5285097; website: ems.cabe.k12. wv.us Huntington Middle School, 925 3rd St., Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-304-5285180; fax: 304-304-528-5215; website: www.edline.net/ pages/Huntington_Middle_ School Milton Middle School, 1 Panther Trail (Pinehaven Drive), Milton, WV 25541; phone: 304-743-7308; fax: 304-743-7324; website: www. edline.net/pages/Milton_Middle_School

Elementary schools

Altizer Elementary School, 250 3rd St., Altizer Addition, Huntington, WV 25702; phone: 304-528-5100; fax: 304-5285148; website: altizer.cabe. k12.wv.us Central City Elementary School, Washington Avenue, Huntington, WV 25704; phone: 304-528-5231; fax: 304-5285245; website: www.edline. net/pages/Central_City_Elementary_School Cox Landing Elementary School, 6358 Cox Lane, Lesage, WV 25537; phone: 304733-3019; fax: 304-733-3021; website: coxlanding.cabe.k12. wv.us/default.htm Culloden Elementary School, 2100 U.S. 60 E., Culloden, WV 25510; phone: 304-743-7301; fax: 304-7437306; website: www.edline. net/pages/Culloden_Elementary_School Davis Creek Elementary School, W.Va. 2, Box 498, Barboursville, WV 25504;

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

phone: 304-733-3024; fax: 304-733-3049; website: daviscreek.cabe.k12.wv.us Geneva Kent Elementary School, Norwood Road, Huntington, WV 25705; phone: 304-528-5126; fax: 304-5285150; website: genevakent. cabe.k12.wv.us Guyandotte Elementary School, 5th Avenue, B and O Railway, Huntington, WV 25702; phone: 304-528-5128; fax: 304-528-5151; website: guyandotte.cabe.k12.wv.us/ Highlawn Elementary School, 2549 1st Ave., Huntington, WV 25702; phone: 304528-5130; fax: 304-528-5152; website: www.edline.net/pages/ Highlawn_Elementary_School Hite-Saunders Elementary School, 3708 Green Valley Road, Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-528-5132; fax: 304-528-5038; website: hitesaunders.cabe.k12.wv.us/ default.htm Martha Elementary School, 3065 Martha Road, Barboursville,

LIFE’S TAUGHT YOU WELL:

Ryan Falls practices for drill competition during JROTC class at Spring Valley High School’s Career Technical Education facility.

WV 25504; phone: 304-733-3027; fax: 304-733-3016; website: www. edline.net/pages/Martha_Elementary_School Meadows Elementary School, 1601 Washington Blvd., Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-528-5166; fax: 304-528-5153; website: meadows.cabe.k12.wv.us Milton Elementary School, 1201 Pike St., Milton, WV 25541; phone: 304-743-7303; fax: 304-743-7307; website: www.edline.net/pages/656371 9132587100194 Nichols Elementary School, 3505 Erwin Road, Barboursville, WV 25504; phone: 304-733-3031; fax: 304-733-3054; website: nichols.cabe.k12.wv.us/default.htm Ona Elementary School, U.S. 60 East, Ona, WV 25545; phone: 304-743-7318; fax: 304-743-7321; website: www. edline.net/pages/Ona_Elementary_School Peyton Elementary School, 199 Rotary Road,

Huntington, WV 25705; phone: 304-528-5173; fax: 304-5285195, website: peyton.cabe. k12.wv.us Salt Rock Elementary School, 5570 Madison Creek Road, Salt Rock, WV 25559; phone: 304-733-3037; fax: 304-733-3060; website: saltrock.cabe.k12.wv.us Southside Elementary School, 200 10th Ave., Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-5285168; fax: 304-304-528-5154; website: www.edline.net/pages/7 080225714888046242 Spring Hill Elementary School, 1901 Hall Ave., Huntington, WV 25701; phone: 304-528-5175; fax: 304-5285177, website: www.edline. net/pages/Spring_Hill_Elementary_School Village of Barboursville Elementary School, 718 Central Ave., Barboursville, WV 25504; phone: 304-733-3035 or 304-733-3000; fax: 304-733-3036; website: www.edline.net/pages/ Village_of_Barboursville_Eleme

T I M E M A N AG E M E N T

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

CO U R AG E

n Continued from 3G

All three of Wayne County’s high schools are comprehensive in nature, meaning each have technical programs on site. Some programs are duplicated, while others are unique to a school.

Wayne High School Microsoft computer applications specialist Information management HVAC technician Welding Project Lead the Way (preengineering) Graphic communications Therapeutic services Pro-Start restaurant management JROTC Turf and landscape systems designed insulated coffee cups. Another, more complex topic was determining if solar and water were viable energy sources for vehicles and which was most efficient. “They are really thinking outside the box,” Kelly said. “There’s a lot of critical thinking.” Marrone also discussed the new mining program at Tolsia High School, which is set to fully launch in the 2013-2014 school year. It is viewed as an ideal CTE program because it meets the needs of the local business community while also addressing industry demands. The Friends of Coal organiza-

Tolsia High School

Information management Computer systems repair technology Carpentry Welding Therapeutic services Pro-Start restaurant management JROTC Turf and landscape systems Mining (under development)

PE R S PEC T I V E

SU PPLY & D E M A N D

Spring Valley High School Information management Automotive technology Drafting Electrical technician Hydraulic and pneumatic troubleshooting Carpentry Welding Project Lead the Way (preengineering) Therapeutic services Pro-Start restaurant management JROTC Careers in Education tion is assisting with the mining program’s development and the program is touted as the first of its kind in the state. The instructor is Mike Smith, who is Tolsia’s football coach. But Smith also worked in the mining industry for about a decade. “It started with the leadership at the county level,” Marrone said. “They put the time in to make sure the programs are fully supported. All three were exemplary schools three years in a row. That doesn’t happen by accident. They look at what’s working and are always trying to improve.”

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That also is one attribute that Pertee said is very valuable. To have completed a program, students must meet certain benchmarks and standards. In some programs, such as building construction, that means solving high-level math problems. In nursing, they learn medical terminology that is taught in college-level health programs. “People have to understand in the 21st century, the CTE students have the most rigorous schedule,” Pertee said. “Not only are they taking all the tests, but also go further to take CTE assessments (which can count toward national certification in some programs). There is a lot of academic rigor that goes hand-in-hand with the technical side.” She and the principals said those students come out of high school with more choices and opportunities. In some cases, they can go right into the workforce. Some can move seamlessly into an apprenticeship or two-year program, while others can head to a college or university and have a leg up on their classmates. “There are greater employment opportunities in having a CTE background and certification,” Pertee said. One of the programs that opens up those doors is Project Lead the Way, which started three years ago at Wayne High School. The engineering program debuted this year at Spring Valley, with great results from both schools. Kelly said students have been very engaged in the projects, noting one where students

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

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�� Courtesy of Tina Kirk �� “DJ” the robot will make his debut at the FIRST Robotics Competition in Pittsburgh on March 14.

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Putnam Area Robotics Team along with ‘DJ’ the robot to travel for competition For The Herald-Dispatch

Nearly two dozen Putnam County students, two teachers, several mentors from Toyota, parents — and one robot — will head for Pittsburgh on March 14-16 for the Putnam Area Robotics Team’s (PARTs) third appearance at the FIRST Robotics Competition. Although there will be at least 30 humans representing Putnam County, the star of the show will be “DJ,” the robot, constructed by members of PARTs during a six-week period from early January to the middle of February. Working zealously twice a week after school and Saturdays

to complete the robot by Feb. 19, the students will compete with more than 50 teams from several states and possibly some foreign countries. They will also attend a competition in Terre Haute, Ind. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, an inventor and entrepreneuer, to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders. Called “the varsity sport for the mind,” the competition gives teams and their mentors six weeks to solve a common problem using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. The robots then

compete in games designed by Kamen and a committee of engineers and other professionals. The robotics group, formerly known as RoboGENS and now called PARTs, has come a long way since its first competition in 2011. The first group had eight members who were all from Winfield. This year’s team is comprised of 18 students from Winfield, three from Hurricane and two from Poca. Leading the group are Winfield High School math teachers Denise Johnson and Tina Kirk. PARTs is one of four robotics teams in West Virginia.

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By BONNY RUSHBROOK

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SOUTH POINT HIGH SCHOOL

Winston Churchill once said, “There is nothing wrong with change as long as it is in the right direction.” We have had a lot of change in South Point High School this year. We have new administrators, new guidance counselors, new support staff, new teachers, new coaches and lots of new students; however, this has made our year even more exciting. Our SP Weight Lifting team recently competed in the Southeastern Regional Powerlifting meet and received four silver medals. We have 18 Science Fair participants moving on to District Competition. We had our Project Lead the Way class attend the Annual Society of American Military Engineers Day at Marshall University. Our Band of Gold won several Grand Champion honors this year and participated in the Bands of America Grand National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Most recently, six of our band students were chosen to participate in the Marshall University’s 12th Annual Honor Band Festival and Clinic. Our year of change hasn’t been an easy one, but we are proud to say we are moving in the right direction.

SOUTH POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL

It has been an exciting year at South Point Middle School. Our students have been working hard both academically and athletically.

SCIENCE FAIR

We had 20 students rate Superior at our Local Science Fair and move on to compete at County. Of those 20, 11 were rated excellent at the County Science Fair and 2 were Rated Superior at the County Fair and will move on to the District Science Fair at Shawnee State University. Those two were Chad Childers and Hannah Roberts.

SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL South Point Elementary computer lab improves skills and knowledge The students visit the computer lab weekly using a variety of programs to improve skills and increase knowledge in the areas of math and reading.

Our South Point Middle School Quiz Bowl Team ﬁnished the season as the Lawrence County Quiz Bowl Champions. The 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team won the MSOVC basketball tournament as well. Caleb Pennington placed high enough in the district Spelling Bee to move on to the Regional Round of the Spelling Competition.

QUIZ BOWL CHAMPS

BURLINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Burlington Elementary provides quality education to students in kindergarten through ﬁfth grades. In addition to traditional education in the areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic, to be successful in today’s modern world, students need skills in critical thinking, communication, creativity and innovation, collaboration, information and technology.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

6G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Ironton High School

OhIO SChOOL DIStrICtS Ironton City School District

740-886-3150; 110 Township Road 1125, Proctorville, OH 45669; Principal Teresa Johnson; enrollment 382. Fairland Middle School, 740-886-3200, 7875 County Dawson-Bryant Elementary School Road 107, Proctorville, OH 45669; Principal Aaron Lewis; enrollment 423. Fairland High School, 740886-3250; 812 County Road 411, Proctorville, Ohio 45669; Principal Chad Belville; enrollment 512. Number of teachers: 110 Number of support staff: 73 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: The district met 100% of the indicators on the most recent state report card and received an “Excellent” rating.

Number of teachers: 109 Number of support staff: 76 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: Students at Ironton High School did better on the accountability/graduation testing.

Dawson-Bryant School District

Fairland Local Schools

Superintendent: Roni Hayes. Main office: 228 Private Drive 10010, Proctorville, OH 45669. Phone: 740-886-3100. Website: http://www.fairland.k12.oh.us/ Schools: Fairland East Elementary, 740-886-3120; 10732 County Road 107, Proctorville, OH 45669; Principal Margaret Keeney; enrollment 451. Fairland West Elementary,

Superintendent: Dennis DeCamp. Main office: 222 Lane St., Coal Grove, OH 45638. Phone: 740-532-6451. Website: http://www. db.k12.oh.us/ Schools: Dawson-Bryant Elementary School, 740-532-6898; 4503 State Route 243, Ironton, OH 45638; Principal Angie Dillow; enrollment: 552. Dawson-Bryant Middle School, 740-533-6008; 1 Hornet Lane, Coal Grove, OH 45638; Principal Rick Barrett; enrollment: 380. Dawson-Bryant High School, 740-532-6345; 1 Hornet Lane, Coal Grove, OH 45638; Principal Steve Easterling; enrollment: 279. Number of teachers: 82 Number of support staff: 70

Fairland Middle School Improvements/honors in past 12 months: The district moved from “Effective” to “Excellent” in academic performance on the state report card.

Chesapeake Union Exempted Village Schools

Superintendent: Jerry McConnell.

Main office: 10183 County Rd. 1, Chesapeake, OH 45619. Phone: 740-867-3135 Website: http://www.peake. k12.oh.us/ Schools: Chesapeake High School, 740-867-5958; 10181 County Road 1, Chesapeake, OH 45619; Principal Troy Tucker;

enrollment 422. Chesapeake Middle School, 740-867-3972; 10335 County Road 1, Chesapeake, OH 45619; Interim Principal Sam Gue: enrollment 441. Chesapeake Elementary, 740-867-3448; 11359 County Road 1, Chesapeake, OH 45619; Principal Jamie Shields; enrollment 567.

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A member of the Putnam Area Robotics Team replaces a bearing on a prototype that is being tested. the Robert C. Byrd Institute — among others — who have put in a large amount of time helping the students put “DJ” together. This year the team has built two robotsbecausetherobotusedinthe competition must be bagged with a special tag and number and then storedbymidnightFeb.19.Theteam cannot have access to that robot again until the competition begins March14.Withatwin,theteamwill havearobotonhandforpracticing. One idea the competition fosters is “Gracious Professionalism,” in which fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Coined by Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor and Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “Gracious Professionalism” and by extension, its counterpart, “Coopertition,” yield innovation and allow young people to satisfy a drive for competition while also emphasizing the importance of respecting your competitors and treating them with kindness. Although everyone goes to the competitions hoping to win the whole competition, there are many awards to be handed out. This year PARTs decided to enter the FIRST Safety Animation competition. The job was to produce a 40-second animated video demonstrating a safety aspect of robotics, which they produced with the help of Jamie Cope, the father of a student at Winfield High. To see the video, go to YouTube and type in Putnam Area Robotics Team-3492. The FIRST Robotics Competi-

tion has programs for younger age groups. Information which can be found online at www.usfirst.org. In addition, Kirk is working with a group comprised of grades 7-9. The competition awards more than $16 million a year in scholarships. In 2013, there will be 2,548 teams — comprised of more than 50,000highschoolstudents—from around the world participating in more than 100 qualifying tournaments before the world championship in St. Louis on April 24-27. Working with the robotics group has helped some of the members develop new skills. Sierra, 16, who wants to build prosthetic limbs as a career, said she has learned a lot from being a member of PARTs. “I have a lot more friends. I’ve gotten out of my shell. I have friends with the same interests,” she said. “I’ve learned commitment, hard work and about being a team player,” she added. Cody, 17, a second-year member of PARTs, likes the family aspect of the group. “I like the community feel ... I have learned social lessons, life lessons, how to use tools — stuff I can use later in life,” he said. Michael, 17, has learned he wants to be a biological engineer for research and science. “I’ve learned the value of teamwork and friendship — to value and trust in each member. I have grown attached to the whole team experience,” he said. Some also found they could acquire skills they never dreamed possible. “I never thought in a thousand years I could do this kind of stuff,” Sierra said.

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Although the goal is to build a robot to take to competition, Kirk said there are many ways students can contribute to the team to help reach that goal. The jobs include constructing field elements, making buttons, making bumpers for the robot, wiring, machining parts, essay writing, website design, coding the scouting program and programming the robot. One does not have to be a science or math whiz, they just have to live in Putnam County and be willing to work hard on the project three days a week. Jacob Plasters, a team mentor from Toyota, says the second week of construction is still mostly about brainstorming and testing ideas. “Today we are prototyping — trying different designs to see what works and doesn’t work. First we brainstorm as a team — the kids have different ideas — and then see if it works,” he said. If the prototype works, the team uses AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor to design the robot. “You are allowed to buy certain parts up to $400 (separate from the kit parts). Everything else we can machine here. Using basic tools such as the band saw, the drill press and the lathe, we can manufacture 95 percent of the robot. More difficult pieces we take to Toyota or the Robert C. Byrd Institute,” he said. The group moves out into the hallway where it tests the prototype to see if the robot will throw discs. At the competition, where this year the game is titled, “UltimateAscent,”therobotwillhaveto throwthediscsatgoals.Thefirst15 seconds, it moves on its own. Then drivers move in and operate the robot. During the last 30 seconds it must climb a pyramid with 30 points earned at the highest level. But during the early stages of construction, the group is replacing a bearing before the first disc flies. Finally they place the disc onto the prototype. Not much happens. They try again, and the disc flies about two feet. Finally, a few tries later, the yellow disc comes sailing down the hallway and everyone cheers and ducks. After about three more successful launches, it is time to call it a day. Construction begins in earnest the following week. Fortunately, they have four men from Toyota, and one from

Number of teachers: 90 Number of support staff: 64 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: Chesapeake Elementary School received a rating of “School of Excellence.”

LibraryBranchLocations Ironton Branch 321 So. 4th St. Ironton, OH 740-532-1124

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Superintendent: William Dean Nance. Main office: 105 5th St., Ironton, OH 45638. Phone: 740-532-4133. Website: www.tigertown. com Schools: Ironton Elementary School, 740-532-2209; 302 Delaware St., Ironton, OH 45638; Principal John Maynard; enrollment 732 during fiscal year 2012. Ironton Middle School, 740532-3347; 302 Delaware St., Ironton, OH 45638; Principal Toben Schreck; enrollment 350. Ironton High School, 740532-3911; 1701 S 7th St., Ironton, OH 45638; Principal Joe Rowe; enrollment 397.

South Point Branch Proctorville Branch Chesapeake Branch Symmes Valley Branch 317 Solida Rd. 410 Elizabeth St. 11054-A Co. Rd. 1 14860 St. Rd. 141 South Point, OH Proctorville, OH Chesapeake, OH Willow Wood, OH 740-377-3390 740-886-6697 740-867-3390 740-643-2086

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

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The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

School bond levy propels construction, renovations By BONNY RUSHBROOK For The Herald-Dispatch

In 2009, residents of Putnam County passed a special school bond levy to help fund a massive building project that would include the construction of four new schools, a major renovation of two schools and construction of four gymnasiums. It was the first school bond to pass in Putnam County in more than three decades. Three-and-a-half years later, three of the new schools are finished with the remaining school set to be built in 2014, all four gymnasiums are completed, one renovation is done and the other one should finish by August 2014, said Putnam County Schools Superintendent Charles “Chuck” Hatfield. “This is the fourth year — still a year to a year-and-a-half out. At this point, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. The first two schools to be completed were Buffalo High School and Confidence Elementary. Students at the two schools got to begin the new school year in August 2012 in brand-new state-of-the-art structures. For years, residents of Buffalo had wanted a new building to replace the outdated structure built in 1951. In 2012 they finally got their wish. The 93,970-square-foot structure, built by Hayslett Construction and designed by architect Greg Williamson (who designed all of the new schools) at a cost of $21.5 million, is divided into three sections — the academic section, which houses most core classes and labs; the fine arts section which is home to the music and band suite and includes a performance stage with dressing rooms, drama classrooms, a television studio

Poca students will be moving into their new middle school during spring break. Principal C.D. Caldwell said everyone is excited to move into the new building and the difference in the two buildings is like “night and day.” The old building is from 1926. Courtesy of C.D. Caldwell

and the art department; and a third section containing two gymnasiums, one with a 700-person capacity and the other with a 300-person capacity, locker rooms and offices. In addition, the school has a library/media center, two computer labs, a suite of offices, conference rooms and storage areas. The school was built to house about 400 students from grades 9-12. Conf idence Elementary’s new school was also a long time coming. The first Confidence Elementary was built sometime during the 1940s, according to Principal Colleen Huston. The staff and students moved into their new 38,000-square-foot building in August 2012. It was built at a cost of $8.8 million by G & G Construction. “It’s like we won the lottery,” Huston said. “We were in one of the oldest buildings, and now I believe we are in the best,” she added. “They (the students) think they are in a palace.” The school has 15 classrooms, a computer lab, library/media center, music/art room, dining room, office suite, a gymnasium, storage area, parking area and a playground. “In our old school we didn’t have room for anything, now we have a separate gym and cafeteria — you can get lost in the kitchen,” she said. “We don’t take anything

for granted,” she added. The students and staff also have a lot of pride in their new school. Recently Brad Hodge, assistant superintedent for administrative services, came to the elementary school and was impressed because the floors still looked brand new after six months in the building. Huston said everyone tries to keep it looking fresh, especially the janitors. “We just have a lot of pride,” she said. She is also grateful for the bond that was passed by the citizens of Putnam County. “There’s no doubt it would not have happened without the backing of the public.” The case for Poca Middle School and Poca Elementary is just a little different. Poca Middle School has a new building, and Poca Elementary is undergoing a major renovation. Although the new middle school is finished, Poca Middle students have remained in their old building. Instead Poca Elementary students are using the new building for a few months until a four-room addition to the school is completed. According to Hatfield, the schools are almost ready for the students to move into their respective buildings. In the next few weeks, Poca Middle school students will be

moving into their new 68,000square-foot building constructed by E.P. Leach and Company at a cost of $21.6 million, a pricetag which also includes the renovation of Poca Elementary. Hodge says the old Poca Middle School will then be demolished, leaving only the annex, which will then be renovated. “It will be tied into the new school,” he said. Principal C.D. Caldwell said everyone is excited about moving from their current building, constructed in 1926, into their new one. “Having the temperature between 72 and 74 degrees is a dream,” he said. Without central heat, the hallways are always cold. One week in February, the school had broken water lines, and students and staff had to deal with flying termites the last few years. When they begin learning in their new building, students will find new classrooms, a computer lab, science labs, a library/media center, dining room, kitchen, a gymnasium with lockers, restrooms and new faculty planning areas. It will house approximately 350 students in grades 6-8. Caldwell gives the credit to the people of Putnam County. “It was the people of Putnam County who made all of this happen and we can be thankful

for that,” he said. Winfield Middle School presented a comparable problem because the students needed a building for classes while the rest of the complex was being built. The new Winfield Middle School is probably a year or so from completion. Costing about $21.5 million, the school will have 83,000 square feet of new construction while retaining 7,000 square feet of renovated space. The school’s three-story curriculum building is already completed and is currently housing students and staff. The school’s new kitchen is also complete. The outside facade of the building is still under construction. Although the school will have a new gymnasium, it is retaining the old gym for use as an auxiliary gymnasium. Currently, the old gym is doubling as a dining room until the new dining room is finished. Principal Gary Cook, who is in his third year at WMS, said everyone is cooperating and working together patiently while construction is being done on the new building. “We’re making it work. It’s a work in progress,” he said. Cook said one of the things he likes about the new building is it pulls all of the students together whereas before, the eighth grade

was in the main building, and the sixth and seventh grades were in the portables. “It was almost like two schools. They never interacted,” Cook said. He is pleased the school has a modern, up-to-date building with three computer labs and three science labs, plus a library/media center, office suite and storage. The school will be able to house 650 students from grades 6-8. Just down Route 817 (formerly old Route 35) is Winfield Elementary School. It, too, is under construction at a cost of $9 million, for a new 11-classroom addition plus a new gymnasium. Students will be moved into the new classrooms soon while the older school goes under a complete renovation which has a target completion date of 2014. Along with these new and renovated school buildings, Putnam County Schools has added auxiliary gymnasiums at Poca, Winfield and Hurricane high schools at a cost of $7.6 million of bond money. Hatfield said Putnam County Schools has been successful academically, and now will have schools that are up-to-date and match that success. “We’ve made wonderful progress. We feel good about where we are,” he said.

A Division of Cabell County Public Schools

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Chesapeake Middle School

OHiO SCHOOL DiStRiCtS Superintendent: Wes Hairston. Main office: 2325A County Road 26, Ironton, OH 45638. Phone: 740-532-7030. Website: www.rockhill.org. Schools: Rock Hill High School, 740-532-7012; 2415 County Road 26, Ironton, OH 45638; Principal David Hopper; enrollment 447. Rock Hill Middle School, 740-532-7026; 2171 County Road 26, Ironton, OH 45638; Principal Michael Hairston; enrollment 333. Rock Hill Elementary School, 740-532-7016; 2676 County Road 26, Ironton, OH 45638; Principal Freddie Evans; enrollment 733. Number of teachers: 126 Number of support staff: 103 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: The school district the rating of “District of Excellence” by the state of Ohio for the first time.

South Point Local School District

Superintendent: Kennith Cook. Main office: 302 High St., South Point, OH 45680. Phone: 740-377-4315. Website: http://www.southpoint.k12.oh.us/

Schools: Burlington Elementary, 740894-4230; 8781 County Road 1, South Point, OH 45680; Principal Mylissa Bently; enrollment 422. South Point Elementary, 740-377-2756; 201 Park Avenue, South Point, OH 4568; Principal Chris Mathes; enrollment 448. South Point Middle School, 740-377-4343; 983 County Road 60, South Point, OH 45680; Principal TJ Howard; enrollment 414. South Point High School, 740-377-4323; 983 County Road 60, South Point, OH 45680; Principal Jayshree Shah; enrollment 508. Number of teachers: 114 Number of support staff: 94 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: The South Point Marching Band, “Band of Gold,” won first place in the Class B level of Hilliard Invitational; won grand champion, overall music and general effect at the Coal Grove Invitational; won grand champion at the Green Festival of Bands and Ironton Buckeye Class; and received a superior rating for the fourth straight year at the State Marching Band Finals. South Point Percussion won several first place awards, including four

overall awards. The South Point Band of Gold was selected among numerous applicants to participate in the Bands of America Grand National Championships at the Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.

Symmes Valley Local School District

Superintendent: Jeff Saunders. Main office: 14778 State Route 141, Willow Wood, OH 45696. Phone: 740-643-2451. Website: http://www.symmesvalley.k12.oh.us/ Schools: Symmes Valley Elementary, 740-643-0022; 14860 State Route 141, Willow Wood, OH 45696; Principal Jeremy Newman; enrollment: 538. Symmes Valley High School, 740-643-2371; 14778 State Route 141, Willow Wood, OH 45696; Principal Darrell Humphreys; enrollment: 262. Number of teachers: 47 Number of support staff: 42 Improvements/honors in past 12 months: The district is rated “Effective” on the state report card. The high school is rated as “Excellent” and also considered “School of Promise” by the Ohio Department of Education.

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Rock Hill Local School District

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C M Y K 50 inch 8G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

The power of public education cannot be underestimated. As an essential part of the American experience, public schools empower students with the knowledge they need to be productive citizens. Our schools teach children to become leaders, to be of strong character and to work to ensure the continued strength of our great democracy. For those living in poverty or who might otherwise be cast aside or left behind, a quality education can help break the shackles of their situations and help them provide the resources they and their families will need throughout their lives.

MISSION STATEMENT

We believe that... • A safe, nurturing and inviting environment is conducive to learning. • To be effective in a global society, everyone must understand and respect individuals and cultures. • With high expectations, quality services and support, ALL students will have the opportunity to achieve. • Through rigorous, relevant instruction and meaningful relationships, teachers will actively engage and motivate students. • Students share responsibility for their learning. • 21st Century technology integration is essential to teaching and learning. • Learning is enhanced when school, family, and community establish relationships, share resources and support mutual goals.

Goals & Objectives Goal 1: All students will be engaged in rigorous curriculum and instruction, reaching mastery and above in reading/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Goal 2: All students will be engaged in relevant curriculum, instruction and assessment to prepare them to graduate with their assigned class and pursue post-secondary employment or education. Goal 3: School, family and community will work together to assure all students have the necessary support to maximize school success. As approved by the Strategic Planning Committee

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Cabell County Schools is a 21st Century learning community dedicated to the success of every student.

At Cabell County Schools, we • Open and honest communication take the responsibility for providbuilds supportive relationships that ing a quality education seriously. strengthen our school system. Through a rigorous curriculum that is relevant to their lives, we’re reaching students on their individual levels and supporting their growth through organized structures that help build strong relationships.

2850 5TH AVENUE, HUNTINGTON, WV 25702 (304) 528-5000 • WWW.CABELLCOUNTYSCHOOLS.COM

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013:

www.herald-dispatch.com

Sunday, March 3, 2013

New facilities

ON tHe HORiZON

ABOVE & RIGHT: Construction continues on Marshall University’s new soccer complex.

10-year plan big task for Marshall University

en years is a long time. A lot can happen and a lot can change in that span. Looking at what needs to change and trying to predict what future needs will demand is what Marshall University is trying to do now in compiling its Facilities and Land Use Master Plan. “To look 10 years into the future can be a daunting process, from facilities to technology to what students are looking for,” said Marshall President Stephen Kopp. “If you look over the past 20 years, we’ve taken mainframes and personal computers and put them in the palm of people’s hands.” When it comes to the land use plan, Kopp said the university has to look at facilities in terms of adaptability for emerging technology. “To some extent, it’s looking into a crystal ball, and to some extent, it’s examining trends and trying to determine what those trends mean,” he said. “It’s very hard to anticipate trends and changes in technology and how that’s going to affect things. I think we’ve done a good job over the past few years of taking that into account with our facilities.” The plan is a comprehensive lookahead that Marshall is required to put together every 10 years for review by the Higher Education Policy Commission. The last plan was put together in 2003. Marshall’s new plan is due for review by December 2013, and it must also be approved by Marshall’s Board of Governors. Area residents got a glimpse of the beginning stages of the process in December at a public input meeting. The meeting was the first of several scheduled before the final plan is sent to the HEPC. Marshall officials have said public input is vital because the local community is so involved with Marshall University and vice versa. Shaping the land use plan is Marshall’s Master Plan Executive Committee, along with Ann

Arbor, Mich.-based SmithGroup JJR, the planning consultants for the project. Marshall’s main campus and two satellite campuses are all part of the project. While it is still very early in the process, Kopp said one of the major projects the university could include would be a renovation or replacement of the Memorial Student Center. “That’s an iconic part of the university that has been there since the 1970s,” Kopp said. “That’s a priority, looking at that and saying ‘Should we renovate it or replace it?’ Right now, renovation doesn’t seem that appealing, and we need a student center to be a place

where students can socialize and study. Clearly that will be an important issue in the next 10 years.” Marshall is also continuing its effort to integrate the campus more with downtown Huntington.

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Marshall University Career Services

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• Mock Interviews • Career Expos • Job Search/Networking Assistance • Career Professional to Student Mentoring

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

2H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

MCTC on its own footing moving forward By BEN FIELDS

The Herald-Dispatch

befields@herald-dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — Mountwest Community College is finally at home, after a four-year, multimillion dollar voyage. It all started in 2008, when the West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 3215, requiring community and technical colleges to separate from parent universities. In MCTC’s case, that was Marshall, and, at the time, MCTC stood for Marshall Community and Technical College. Over the past four years, the community college has set up its own board

of directors, completed a name change, worked on overhauling its curriculum and tried to find a home of its own off Marshall’s campus. It’s that last task that has been the most difficult to complete. MCTC knew fairly early on it wanted to move into the office building on 5th Street Road in Huntington. At the time, the space was a call center for DirecTV. Before that, it had been Arch Coal’s headquarters. But acquiring the building, a $7.5 million deal, and converting it into a community and technical college was a process that took about three years.

Holly Sacconi works in the pharmacy tech lab at Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington.

MCTC finally cut the ribbon on its new facility in August 2012. Even then, things weren’t exactly perfect. “The fall was testy,” said MCTC President Keith Cotroneo. “We had problems with our phone system, and installation was delayed twice. Finally, we couldn’t wait anymore because we had to move. So we operated off of cellular handsets for a while. That made it tough, but the students and community members were very understanding.” So far, the spring semester has been a little smoother. “It’s to the point now where I’ve come to the realization that I can actually leave town every once in a while,” Cotroneo joked.

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A culture of learning

It is an awareness of lifelong learning that drives the educational experience at Covenant School in Huntington. Covenant School utilizes a classical and Christian approach to learning. Students learn not just to take things at face value but also to delve into them, explore them and determine their real worth. Then, in the culmination of the experience at Covenant, students learn how to beautifully present their own thoughts to others. According to Tom Bowen, headmaster at Covenant School, this model of education is now more important than ever. “We live in a day where adults are changing careers five and six times in their lives,” said Bowen. “The necessity to learn and adapt is at an all-time high, and just preparing our kids for the SAT and shipping them off to college isn’t going to cut it.” Bowen says Covenant School’s responsibility far exceeds getting students into good schools that will hopefully land them in high-paying

“It opens up opportunities in that end of the county. An instructor can be in Ironton one day and teaching on compressed video in Proctorville and swap locations for the next class.” Bill Willan, Ohio University Southern campus dean

Patrick

before graduation, Covenant students learn how to take the facts they have learned in their childhood, the questions jobs. “We have the opportunity they have asked in their early teenage years and to formulate to work with young minds at their own thoughts and ideas their most valuable developmental stages,” said Bowen. and present them in a God“At Covenant School we are honoring, beautiful and comtaking that responsibility very pelling way. seriously with the outlook of “This style of learning preparing our students not just results in the cultivation of real thinkers,” said Bowen. for college, but for life.” In order to achieve that goal, “And that’s what we are working to develop at Covenant.” Covenant School utilizes the A thinker is someone who can classical method of educatapproach not only college and ing students. This process of a job, but also marriage, family, schooling is approached in three different ways across the hardship, etc., and be prepared to deal with those situations tenure of the student’s educaappropriately. tion at Covenant. In the eleA thinker is not going to be mentary years, when the mind stuck when a life goes haywire is ripe for memorization and or a job doesn’t pan out as recollection, students at Covplanned. A thinker doesn’t get enant learn basic facts, songs left in the dust asking, “Now and techniques that will stick with them as they grow. In the what?” A thinker overcomes. A middle school years, when pre- thinker succeeds. Covenant School creates teens are naturally questioning everything, students learn thinkers. how to question, what to look for, tips for finding the weak Patrick Stanley is a secspots in arguments and logic. ondary teacher at Covenant Finally, in the closing years School.

STANLEY

David E. Malloy/The Herald-Dispatch

Southern campus dean Bill Willan says plans are in the works for upgrading the heating and air conditioning at Ohio University Southern’s building in Ironton.

OUS enrollment steady, renovation projects set By DAVID E. MALLOY The Herald-Dispatch

dmalloy@herald-dispatch.com

Marshall

n Continued from 1H

MU is set to have a greater presence downtown, as work continues to move the school’s visual arts studio into the former Stone & Thomas building across the street from Pullman Square. The university is also in the midst of a $30 million project that started over the summer with the demolition of Veterans Memorial Field House. A groundbreaking took place in the fall for a new $8 million soccer complex to take the spot occupied by the Field House. The new facility will include a park that contains parts of the original Field House and will be dedicated to veterans. It’s the first visible work on a plan which eventually calls for an entire athletic complex including an indoor football practice field, a track, a Marshall sports hall of fame, athletic offices and a sports medicine facility. “Those are all things that have started that will have to be part of the master plan,” said Karen Kirtley, senior vice president of administration for Marshall. “The new completed parking garage is also part of that, so you can already see some of the things that the plan will involve.” Private fundraising for the athletic complex is being headed up by former MU great and NFL quarterback Chad Pennington, along with Herd basketball legend and L.A. Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni. That’s part of Marshall’s relatively new philosophy of

“Ultimately, we’re focused on what dimensions we can add that will make Marshall a destination university.” Stephen Kopp, MU president

fundraising through not only public, but also private revenue sources. It’s an idea Kopp has embraced since he took over at Marshall, and which has seen the completion of a student recreation center, a new softball field and work on a new school of engineering building. “It’s gone exceptionally well,” Kopp said. “But you have to understand that there are certain types of projects that lend themselves to that. With the recreation center or the new residence halls, there’s a revenue stream that’s associated with that. There’s money coming in that offsets the cost of the bond issue and makes the ends meet.” Kopp said that type of fundraising is less feasible with a project like the visual arts building, where it would be hard to identify revenue sources that would justify a private-public partnership. “We use a blend of tactics when it comes to fundraising,” Kopp said. “Some projects lend themselves to (public-private funding) and some do not. But if you simply rely on the state to provide funding for new facilities, the likelihood is you’re going to be waiting a long time. So we’ve made it a point to try and identify other ways to raise funds.”

Kopp and Kirtley both said they want the public to know the 10-year plan is an open process. “Public feedback is very i mpor t a nt ,” K i r t ley sa id . “The master plan provides that comprehensive look and planning process for what we are looking at and for future land acquisition. It not only identifies those projects, but gives us a 10-year outline on how we can get it done.” Kirtley said the public seems to have taken an interest in the plan, with 50 people attending the f irst public meeting in December, and hundreds hitting the website MU has set up for public input. “This is a very open process,” Kopp added. “We’re open to ideas. And I’ve been very eager and excited to read what people have had to say and the ideas they have as to what we need to be looking at. “Ultimately, we’re focused on what dimensions we can add that will make Marshall a destination university. We want to establish the things that define us as a university that students see as unique, and we do that through facilities and technology and how we shape an environment that students are looking for.”

studies and a bachelor of arts of science and applied management, he said. “It opens up opportunities in that end of the county,” Willan said. An instructor can be in Ironton one day and teaching on compressed video in Proctorville and swap locations for the next class, he said. “This allows us to keep some programs we might ordinarily have to drop (due to enrollment),” he said. The campus also has several bachelor degree programs online, including a bachelor of science and applied management and a bachelor of technology and applied studies, he said. Gov. John Kasich has proposed a 2 percent increase in higher education in Ohio. Kasich wants to see more students graduate and wants to set aside money for that. “We’ll work to make that happen. We may have to focus more on academic support services (tutoring) for those students who need it,” he said.

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PROGRESS 2013

Health & Finance Publication Date: March 10 – Deadline: February 27 Health • What’s new at area health centers • Health report card • Community columns • Key player profile • Learning and earning profile: Workers and their education and career paths.

Finance • Key factors for 2011 • County reports from Cabell, Wayne, Putnam, Mason, Lincoln, Logan, Lawrence (Ohio), Boyd. • Community columns • Key player profile • Learning and earning profile: Workers and their education and career paths.

260922

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Construction continues on Marshall University’s new soccer complex in Huntington.

IRONTON — A new entrance to the Ohio University-Southern campus in Ironton has been completed and more badly needed parking spaces added, said Bill Willan, Southern campus dean. “The new entrance is a much safer and saner arrangement,” Willan said. The exterior improvements, putting in a new cupola atop the Riffe building and repairing some roof leaks cost about $800,000, he said. “We’re also planning a HVAC upgrade on campus,” Willan said. “We are required to make the buildings more energy efficient. The project should start in the late summer or fall. The HVAC upgrades will be done campuswide.” The planned renovation also includes new carpeting, chairs and furniture in the Riffe building, Willan said. The project will cost an estimated $600,000, he said. Oh io Un iversity, a long

with Ohio State University, Wright State University and the University of Cincinnati, all changed from quarters to semesters last fall. “We were among the last to switch,” Willan said. “The switch to semesters went as well as we had hoped. We were on quarters for years, since the 1960s.” “Our numbers stayed steady,” he said. “A number of institutions saw a significant drop in enrollment. Our head count was up a little. That’s a positive. We were up 40 students in the spring semester.” The branch campus of Ohio University had 2,097 students registered for the spring semester, he said. The Southern campus also has implemented point-to-point compressed video classes to allow students at the Ironton campus and the Proctorville Center to share an instructor, Willan said. The campus has two new bachelor programs — a bachelor of technology and applied

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Education

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The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

ASHLAND COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Forging partnerships with schools, colleges, business

ACTC welcomes Patricia Adkins as new president By DAVID E. MALLOY The Herald-Dispatch

ASHLAND — Since becoming Ashland Community and Technical College president seven months ago, Patricia “Kay” Adkins has been working on forging partnerships with local schools, colleges and business and industry. “It’s been really exciting and fun,” Adkins said. “We’ve been meeting with community partners, with local superintendents and with officials at Morehead State University. We are making plans for next year.” The community and technical college continues to operate at three locations, the College Drive Campus off 13th Street in Ashland, the Roberts Drive Campus at the Ashland city limits and the Technology Drive Campus in the East Park industrial park off Interstate 64. There are about 4,600 students at the college for the spring semester, down from about 5,000 several years ago, Adkins said. “Thisisthetimecommunitycollegeshavetoredefinewhattheyare and how they can benefit the area,” she said. “We’re assessing communityneeds.Oureconomyiscoming back.We’reatthevergeofrecovery. We have to work cooperatively to make our region competitive.” The college has moved its Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation small business incubator from downtown Ashland to the Roberts Drive Campus, Adkins said. ACTC has established a community and economic development center at its Roberts Drive Campus in an effort to support the region’s economic development efforts, said Bill Hannah, Ashland Alliance president. The center houses the college’s Entrepreneur Center which serves as an incubator for small business, Adkins said. “She’s been very supportive,” he said. “Someone from our office is talking to someone from ACTC every day.” The center “allows us to have a war room that serves a multitude of purposes — as a resource space, a work space and a pre-

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Rick Brown speaks with students during a business class at Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington.

MCTC

n Continued from 2E

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Dr. Patricia “Kay” Adkins is the president of Ashland Community and Technical College. sentation space. As a long-standing partner with the Alliance in economic development, ACTC’s commitment to our region continues to take shape in imaginative but necessary ways.” There are no new degree programs on tap for the upcoming year, Adkins said. The current budget is flat, and college officials are looking to grow existing programs including teaching, nursing, cosmetology and child care, among others. “We just had a new tenant locate there Monday,” Adkins said earlier. “We have five tenants there now. It’s been growing. It’s full. We’re trying to make it a one-stop.” Adkins took the president’s job last summer after Dr. Greg Adkins retired. Kay Adkins served as president of Yuba College in California before taking the top job at Ashland Community and Technical College. During her time at Yuba College, she worked to establish an $80 million facilities bond

program and established the Yuba College Foundation. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southern Illinois University and her doctorate at Illinois State University. Thecollegeopeneda$1.6million, 13,000-square-foot child care center last fall to provide training for studentsandchildcareforstudents and staff. The college also moved its cosmetology program to a new building near the College Drive Campus from the Roberts Drive Campuslastyear.“It’sastrongprogram,” Adkins said. “The students are enjoying the new facility.” The enrollment in the school’s nursing program is stable and graduates are finding local jobs, she said. “Teaching and nursing are two of our core education programs,” she said. “We have a strong relationship with Morehead State University,” Adkins said. “We meet regularly to discuss how we can expand our partnership.”

The new building offers 115,000 square feet and 650 parking spaces. There are 34 classrooms and labs within the new facility, along with administrative offices. There are still some bugs to be worked out, but Cotroneo said the school is benefiting in myriad ways from having a place of its own for its 3,000plus students. “I’ve had students comment to me about how comfortable it is for them to know that the rest of the students on the campus are like them,” Cotroneo said. “They’re all Mountwest students. It’s done a lot in helping build a sense of community among the students here.” It’s also helped the administration in allowing MCTC to focus less on the logistics of moving and more on what the school actually wants to accomplish. “We really can plan for the future now, which is what we’re doing,” Cotroneo said. “We’re fully staffed, the classrooms have everything they need, so we’re to the point now that we’re in charge of our own destiny.” And administrators haven’t wasted any time in moving forward. Cotroneo said from the first day the ribbon was cut on the new facility, MCTC officials

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

‘Every child counts’

“Every child counts” is the motto of St. Joseph Catholic School. St. Joseph Catholic School has been providing quality education to the TriState area for more Carol than 140 years. Beginning as young as six weeks of age, and continuing through eighth grade, the mission and focus of SJCS is to educate the whole child: academically, physically, spiritually and morally. SJCS accomplishes this by creating a partnership with parents from the early baby days of nursery school all the way through the “tween” and early teen years of middle school. This collaboration, between home and school, is the foundation of success for students attending SJCS. In addition to partnering with parents, SJCS is progressive. The faculty and staff work hard to maintain a high level of understanding and appreciation of current curriculum and content standards, while remaining sensitive to any required academic changes that may occur in order to maintain rigor and relevance to help students acquire the necessary skills for the 21st Century. Furthermore, teachers use multiple resources, diagnostics and assessment tools in order to tailor individualized instruction for each student. Student achievement is continuously monitored, allowing for any learning challenges to be identified and remediated early through targeted intervention. This constant attention to improvement, accountability and instructional effectiveness increases student achievement and learning experience. In order to increase student learning, technology is an integral part of the curriculum

TEMPLETON

at SJCS. Through the use of Smart Boards, Smart Tables, laptops, mobile devices and iPads, individual and group learning opportunities are increased as well as customized to fit the needs of each individual and subject matter. Thus, student learning becomes more diversified, increasing the students’ ability to think critically and become accountable for their own learning, as well as increase opportunities for inquiry and exploration based learning. SJCS recognizes and appreciates the significant responsibility of personalizing each child’s educational experience, and the daily implementation of technology is one way of achieving this goal. SJCS is proud of its traditions, Catholic identity, diversity and outstanding reputation within the community. In fact, the student re-enrollment rate is over 95 percent. The philosophy of SJCS is to integrate the sound principles of Christian faith and action with a rigorous academic program that welcomes all

students and families from all walks of life and backgrounds. Individual differences are celebrated at SJCS regardless of religion, ethnicity or creed. Thus a complete and well-rounded education is possible and is in fact a point for commemoration of life and faith at SJCS. As part of this commemoration, stewardship and community outreach projects are an essential part of the school life at SJCS. Students, depending upon age and grade level, have numerous opportunities throughout the academic school year in which they can give of their time and talents to others. Examples of these projects from the 2012-2013 school year include: Grandparent’s Day, Habitat for Humanity donations, Charity Choice 5K Run, Ronald McDonald House donations, Little Victories donations, Toys for Tots, Breast Cancer Awareness activities and fundraisers, creating holiday cards for local nursing homes, various projects supporting military families

Please see ST. JOSEPH/5H

260918

St. Joseph Catholic High School

started working on how to implement a $5 million Student Success grant from the federal government. He said the college has several goals, including making sure more students finish their programs and building a stronger relationship between the college and the surrounding community. “Now that we have this wonderful facility, we really need to have more interaction with surrounding businesses, organizations and schools,” Cotroneo said. Another major area of focus is career development for students. Now that the common path isn’t spending two years at MCTC then moving on to Marshall, the college can focus more on helping students get the education they need for specific jobs, Cotroneo said. “Now, that’s really in our hands, so we can tailor that to the students’ needs,” he said. “We want to help students to understand their career options and find employment in their field.” Cotroneo said the administration is also working on raising awareness of the value the college offers the local community and the financial impact MCTC has on Huntington. “We’re working on doing more events and programs here to really get the residents and potential students involved,” he said.

The largest part of the grant plan is focused on helping students find their field and graduate, Cotroneo said. The money helps provide for more than one career counselor for each student, along with faculty mentors and peer coaches to help prospective students through processes like enrollment. “(The students) get unprecedented support,” Cotroneo said. Another goal that MCTC is working toward is to supply a workforce for a demand that is not being met. Among educators they’re known as the “middle skills,” meaning you have students with bachelor’s degrees from a four-year university that are looking for jobs at a certain level, and those who have only a high school diploma looking for work at another. What’s left are those middle jobs, often good, high-paying jobs, that require specific training. “Right now, there’s an overabundance of people with a high school diploma,” Cotroneo said. “At the BA level, supply and demand are about equal. The gap is in the middle skill, which is typically an associate’s degree. That’s a national trend.” MCTC was one of 32 institutions to receive a Student Success grant, and the $5 million was the largest awarded to a single institution nationally.

C M Y K 50 inch 4H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Progress 2013: Education

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

MCTC helping Tri-State residents further education

Degree attainment is a key factor in the health of a state or region. The statistic is tied directly to economic vitality and the well-being of a state’s citizens. On average, individuals with a post-secondary education credential earn significantly more than those who don’t. Lifetime income differences are substantial, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars depending upon degree level and specialization. States with low degree attainment rates suffer economically. Suppressed incomes resulting from poor degree attainment weaken the entire state. The tax base is lower than it would be otherwise, and state and local governments must direct more of their precious dollars to social programs that assist

Keith

COTRONEO those living in poverty. On the average, individuals with college degrees have higher incomes, are healthier, much less likely to be incarcerated and much more likely to make positive contributions to their communities. In addition, due to workforce deficiencies, employers in high-paying technical fields are less likely to bring their businesses to states with low degree attainment levels. It is the proverbial “vicious cycle.” According to the 2011

American Community Survey Census data, the national degree attainment average for citizens ages 25 to 64 with an associate’s degree or higher, was 38.7 percent. Individual state results ranged from 50.8 percent to 27.8 percent. The leader of the pack was Massachusetts; the trailer was West Virginia. While the numbers look bleak for our state, there is reason to be hopeful. In 2008, W.Va. lawmakers completed a legislative journey that established a truly independent community college system in West Virginia. Funds were appropriated to build community college campuses in four population centers: Huntington, Charleston, Martinsburg and Beckley. Mountwest Community and

KEY PLAYER: JEFF SMITH

Name: Dr. H. Jeffrey Smith. JoB: Director of assessment and curriculum for Cabell County Schools. eduCatioN BaCkgrouNd: Bachelor’s (1977) and master’s (1982) in music education pre-k-adult, Marshall Univeristy; doctorate (1994) in education administration, WVU. Career Bio: Taught music K-12 in Cabell and Wayne Counties, 16 years; middle school administrator at West, Enslow and Beverly Hills Middle Schools, nine years; current position, eight years (currently in my 9th year). SpeCial SkillS or CertifiCatioNS: Pianist, organist, vocalist. moSt memoraBle aChievemeNtS: Winner, Golden Apple Achiever Award; West Virginia Reading Association Principal of the Year; Accompanist, West Virginia All-State Children’s Chorus. family: Wife, Anna Smith; Daughter, Sheanna Spence, Director of Development at MCTC, Josh Spence (her husband), Annabelle Spence (granddaughter); Son, Jameson Smith, math teacher at HHS. hoBBieS: Working out at the MU Rec Center, reading, walking. CurreNtly readiNg: “The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare” (Dr. Edward F. Murphy).

lori Wolfe/the herald-dispatch

Building a culture of achievement The next step is to recapture that “edge” that we seem to have lost, to develop in our students a personal sense of determination to achieve, to instill what teacher and author Bill Ron Berger calls “An Ethic of SMITH Excellence.” In the next few years, we conversations about how we plan to partner with Marshall can best reach students, and, University and the Harless as a result, our staff has been Center to design a school working diligently to identify where we will begin to engage and implement best instrucstudents in a process that requires them to bring persontional practices. al excellence into the equation However, one essential eleof learning. The approach is ment of the film that is easy to miss is the very element called “Expeditionary LearnI believe must be at the core ing,” and it is already successof our educational reform fully in operation in several effort. Compton states that the schools in other states. We American family, and thus its believe this incubator school, youth, has lost the noticeable a consolidation of Geneva “edge” of previous generations. Kent and Peyton elementary Getting an education was con- schools, will become a place sidered basic to success, and of new ideas and practices in there was no question that a teaching and learning that can student was expected to attend be shared and replicated in school regularly and do his other places. very best to make good grades. Nationally, we seem to The family and community agree that there are fewer spoke with one voice — nothand fewer adults passing this ing came before achievement culture of achievement on to in school. the next generation. Many of What we have done over our students are not exposed the last seven years has made to the value of personal pride significant differences for stu- in their work, but I believe dents in Cabell County. As we we are beginning to turn that focused on the goals of “Rigor, around in Cabell County. It Relevance, and Relationships,” will take all of us to speak with we have built modern facilione voice in order to show our ties, taken steps to design and youth how to become producdeliver a relevant curriculum, tive men and women. Our and we have put structures in children must know that their place to develop educational families, both at school and at leaders in the classroom, the home, value their educations and will take the appropriprincipal’s office and among ate actions to ensure they our central support staff. We are successful in school and have successfully begun to engage community partners competitive with their peers in these important efforts worldwide as they enter the through innovation grants, 21st century workplace. universal Pre-K, the Education You can visit our website Matters partnership, truancy at www.cabellcountyschools. diversion efforts through part- com to watch our progress and nerships with the courts and learn more as we develop our the Department of Human incubator school. Services, professional development schools, freshman and Bill Smith is the superincareer academies, and numer- tendent of Cabell County ous other efforts. Schools.

Courtesy of Bulldog Creative Services

Mountwest Community and Technical College’s newly renovated building offers 115,000 square feet and 650 parking spaces. Please see COTRONEO/5H There are 34 classrooms and labs within the new facility.

WAYNE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Communication key to success

I have come through the Wayne County school system. I began school at Kenova Elementary and graduated from Vinson High School. I have been a teacher, principal, director and assistant superintendent in this system. It is my goal that our system come together to provide the students of our county with the very best education possible. It is important that our communities work together with the schools to make education important. Our teachers must be given the opportunity to teach every minute of every day. Students must be in school every day. Improvement in attendance is another goal that I have for our county. Fiscal responsibility is a responsibility that every person in the system has to take ownership. Working together with all schools and departments to use our dollars efficiently is another goal that I will be working toward. As we move into the 2013-14 school year, Wayne

CABELL COUNTY SCHOOLS In 2005, the Board of Education met in a strategic planning session to cast a vision for Cabell County Schools. We wanted to develop and foster a culture of achievement so that our students would benefit from the very best education we could offer. Of course, the foundation of that culture is built upon highly skilled teachers and a relevant, rigorous curriculum. But in order to realize the full benefit for students, we knew that we had to influence a desire for change in the total community, and we knew that process would take time and a continual commitment to doing what is best for students. We began this transformation by asking the community to pass a bond which would provide 21st century facilities for many of the county’s students. Soon after, we built a universal Pre-K program, reinvested in middle school education, and three years later, restructured our high schools. That high school restructuring was a pivotal step toward achieving the school board’s vision of a culture of achievement. In 2008, as part of the kickoff for the high school initiatives, we hosted a community screening of the documentary film “Two Million Minutes,” produced by Robert Compton. This documentary focuses on achievement during the high school years, and how that experience differs in the United States compared to other seemingly less resourceful countries around the world. The conclusions drawn by Compton in the film are dismal, and they are themes that we saw echoed in a recent audit of the West Virginia education system. With all of the resources that are focused on education in this state, we should be seeing greater levels of achievement. The documentary served as a launching point for serious

Technical College, Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College, and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College completed their building projects this summer, thereby providing citizens visible, efficient “on ramps” to postsecondary education and to the workforce. In addition, for our area, the Tri-State region, there is more reason for optimism. The challenge of degree attainment is not unique to W.Va. Our TriState neighbors share similar concerns. Consequently, in 2010 Educate the Tri-State (ETTS), Inc. was established. ETTS began several years ago as a partnership among Tri-State colleges and universities. The goal of what is now

Lynn

HURT

County teachers will be participating in professional development that will focus on Common Core Standards and the new Evaluation System. The new curriculum adopted by the West Virginia Board of Education includes the rigor and relevance that students will need. Integration of the curriculum across disciplines will help students make connections to their learning. Tolsia High School will pilot a new initiative in Career and Technical Education in the 2013-14 school year. “The Simulated Workplace Initiative will enhance the delivery of career and technical education at the high school level by transforming tra-

ditional CTE classrooms into simulated workplace environments that emulate the structure, processes and expectations that students will face when they move into the employment sector,” according to Dr. Kathy D’Antonio, assistant state superintendent. This program will include those “soft skills” needed for students, those skills that include working cooperatively in a group, reporting to work on time and limiting employee absences. I look forward to the rewards this program will provide for our CTE students. Having served on the West Virginia Task Force for the new Evaluation System, I understand the changes and the difficulties in transitioning from an old system to a new one. Our administrators will begin training in March, and training will continue with school leadership teams and then teachers prior to the beginning of school. Teachers from across the state as well

Please see WAYNE/5H

HUNTINGTON JUNIOR COLLEGE

Day! Evening! Online! Classes Begin March 25, 2013

• Business Management • Accounting • Realtime Reporting • Dental Assisting • Medical Assisting • Ofﬁce Administration • Medical Coding For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at huntingtonjuniorcollege.edu 260913

900 Fifth Avenue, Huntington, West Virginia CALL TODAY! (304) 697-7550 or 1-800-344-4522 www.huntingtonjuniorcollege.edu

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Education

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

MU forensic center assists in criminal cases

Cotroneo

institutions are committed to collaboration vs. competition. We seek out creative ways in n Continued from 4H which we can together move a 501.c.3. corporation is to raise the degree attainment needle. The genesis and leadership degree attainment rates across for the partnership came from the Tri-State region. Member colleges are: Mountwest, Ohio Dr. Greg Adkins, former president of Ashland Community University, Shawnee State, and Technical College. In 2010, Morehead State and Ashland I had the honor of serving as the Community and Technical founding president of ETTS, Inc. College. The presidents of each of these institutions serve In 2012, the corporation applied for and attained nonprofit coras directors of the board. The shared philosophy of poration status, giving ETTS the ETTS members can be charmeans to seek and accept grants. acterized by the JFK-popuRod McDavis, president of Ohio larized aphorism “A Rising University, currently serves as Tide Lifts All Boats.” Member the group’s leader.

St. Joseph n Continued from 3H

both local and abroad, as well as numerous activities specific to community needs at the time. Byencouragingourstudents andfamiliestoparticipatein stewardshipactivities,ourschool isabletodemonstratetoothers ourfaith,loveandappreciationfor Godandthemanyblessingshe hasbestoweduponourschool. St. Joseph Catholic School also has many vibrant extracurricular opportunities. Students of all ages participate in regular field trips to increase opportunities for learning outside the classroom. Many of these field trips include unique opportunities to see musical productions, participate in hands-on science and math experiences as well as see their favorite book come to life as part of a theatrical production. Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in various artistic endeavors while in school such as art class, music lessons and choir. Furthermore, SJCS offers a range of opportunities for student athletics, including soccer, cross-country, basketball, golf, tennis and cheerleading. School life at SJCS is progressive and sustainable. Educational opportunities begin at six weeks of age and continue through middle school. St. Joseph Catholic School possesses a high-qualified and compassionate staff dedicated to “educating the whole child,” no matter his or her background. The foundation of students’ education at SJCS is steeped in tradition, faith, family and community. The school has clear and rigorous learning expectations with the goal of ensuring all students achieve a multitude of skills to ensure a successful lifetime of learning. Parents wishing to learn more about SJCS can visit the school’s website at www. stjosephgs.org. Furthermore, parents with specific questions are encouraged to contact Principal Carol Templeton at (304) 522-2644 or by email at ctempleton@stjoesephgs.org. Carol Templeton is the principal of St. Joseph Catholic School.

Dr. Terry Fenger is director of the Marshall University Forensic Science Center.

Lynn Hurt was named the superintendent of Wayne County Schools on Jan. 29.

Courtesy of Terry Fenger

The Marshall University Forensic Science Center, headed by Dr. Terry Fenger, standing, houses accredited investigative laboratories that work in conjunction with the West Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies to perform DNA testing and examination of digital device evidence in criminal cases. areas of forensic investigation, such as terrorism, drug trafficking and computer crimes, students learn that these are crimes without borders and are instructed in newly evolving approaches for investigating and solving international crimes. In order to promote MUFSC and advance forensic science, faculty and students attended the American Academy of Forensic SciThe collaboration has already resulted in some unique benefits for Tri-State residents. For example, because of ETTS, Ohio University has extended to Mountwest an articulation agreement normally reserved for Ohio community colleges. Through the Ohio University Community College Partnership Program, Mountwest students can complete an Ohio University bachelor’s degree without leaving Huntington. Students may transfer up to 90 Mountwest credits toward a 120-credit bachelor’s degree at OU. The last 30 credits can be

ence Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Feb. 18-23. Dr. Graham Rankin served on a toxicology panel, and Dr. Waugh and DNA Analyst Seferyn presented research findings. Overall, 36 of our program’s forensic science graduate students attended the academy meeting, 11 of whom gave presentations. To meet challenges, the training and research laboratories at MUFSC must expand, completed online or at any of the Ohio University campuses. The degree is extremely cost effective as well. Mountwest has the lowest tuition rate of any college in our region. Students who take advantage of the Partnership Program pay the community college rate for three years. The final year is at a discounted rate just slightly above the OU in-state rate. Because of the online option, our students can complete an associate’s degree at Mountwest, go to work and take most, if not all, of the remaining credits online while employed.

Huntington Junior College marking 77 years in Tri-State

Huntington Junior College has had an exciting year as it started its 77th year serving the Tri-State. In May 2012, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the college’s accrediting body, formally approved continued accreditation for Huntington Junior College. The college’s next scheduled comprehensive evaluation will be in 2021-2022. In July, the college introduced a new course focusing on skills many local employers have been asking for, including workplace accountability/work ethics, meeting etiquette, conflict resolution, leadership skills, and ethics and diversity issues in the workplace. All Huntington Junior College graduates complete this elevenweek course prior to entering the workforce. In addition, the faculty can customize any of the topics into an employee training seminar that can be completed at any of our local businesses. In December, Huntington Junior College was approved as a testing site for the American Academy of Professional Coders. The AAPC provides professional certification to physicianbased medical coders. AAPC certified coders have proven mastery of all code sets, evaluations, management principles and documentation guidelines. The first test will be offered in March 2013, with two additional tests offered in June and December. These tests are open to the community. In February 2013, the Medical Assisting Education Review Board notified Huntington Junior College that the school was meeting the retention, job placement, and graduate and employer survey thresholds required to maintain accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. In addition, the college was approved as a National Healthcareer Association testing site. The National Healthcareer Association offers a certification exam for the Clinical Medical Assistant

n Continued from 4H

and more faculty and staff will be required going forward. The MUFSC is launching a campaign to identify funding to complete the build-out of its West Wing Annex, which will house the forensic chemistry and microscopy labs that are now located off campus in temporary facilities.

FENGER federal and state level, who are at or nearing retirement age. Each year the accredited academic program at MUFSC produces 15 to 20 graduates who enter careers in a wide variety of forensic disciplines. Other challenges confronting forensic scientists result from new types of crime and terrorism. MUFSC is expanding its research and course offerings to include analysis of new designer drugs, such as bath salts, training in homeland security topics with emphases on terrorism and rapid DNA analysis. Advances in the digital world require students to be well-versed in current and older technologies as well as to anticipate new digital technologies that are destined for the marketplace and can be used for criminal purposes. Always mindful that results of forensic examinations will be presented in court, students are instructed in pertinent aspects of criminal law and participate in mock trials where they learn courtroom presentation skills. In certain

Wayne

as administrators, superintendents, teacher union and legislative representatives served on this task force working together to prepare a system that will encourage continual teacher growth. When teachers continue to grow professionally, students benefit. Our students must be prepared to compete in a global society when they complete their education. Career- and college-ready students must be armed with academic and technology skills. Students must be provided rigorous curriculum which is presented to them in realworld applications. Students must be exposed to what is referred to as “soft skills,” work ethics, but to quote Dr. James Phares, superintendent of West Virginia Schools, these skills are the hard skills for students to acquire. We strive to provide all of these skills to Wayne County students. And finally, opening lines of communication with teachers, schools, parents, communities and businesses is a goal I will be pursuing. We must be able to work together to make our schools the best for our students. We will not always agree, but keeping those lines of communication open is key to the success that we want to achieve.

Terry

The Mountwest-Ohio University degree completion option is a phenomenal deal for our students. It is a direct result of the ETTS, Inc. partnership and Mountwest is the only community college outside of Ohio that has the program. With the national concerns about ever-increasing tuition costs and student loan debt, here is a refreshing example of how collaboration and partnership can turn the tide. In addition to these types of unique agreements, ETTS maintains a website portal (www.educatethetristate.com) which provides information on

degrees and career paths for students interested in attending member colleges. Currently, the ETTS board is exploring other strategic projects aimed at strengthening degree completion for the region. These include joint marketing strategies to raise awareness of education options available to students. We are also exploring ways to use the leverage of our partnership to support region-wide efforts in the area of economic development. Keith Cotroneo is the president of Mountwest Community and Technical College.

CONNECTING OUR PURPOSE WITH THE

NEEDSOFTHEREGION

Catherine

SNODDY

(CCMA). This exam will be available to graduates of Huntington Junior College’s Medical Assisting program and will allow graduates to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in hopes of leading to more job opportunities for them. On March 23, 2013, Huntington Junior College will offer scholarship testing to anyone who would be interested in attending Huntington Junior College for the first time. One full scholarship and ten partial scholarships will be awarded. The scholarship can be used on any of the associate programs (Accounting, Business Management, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Medical Coding, Professional Office Administration or Realtime Reporting) offered at Huntington Junior College. In April, Huntington Junior College will be offering a retraining seminar to local medical coders on the new ICD-10 medical coding requirements. The one-day bootcamp, “Cracking the Code ... Solving the Mystery of ICD-10,” will prepare local coders for the new federal requirements being implemented next year. The AAPC will allow bootcamp participants to earn continuing education units for this session which will be held at Huntington Junior College. For more information on the business skills seminars, scholarship, certification exams or ICD-10 bootcamp, please contact the college at 304-697-7550 or 800-344-4522. Information can also be found at the college’s website www. huntingtonjuniorcollege.edu or by emailing csnoddy@huntingtonjuniorcollege.edu. Catherine Snoddy is director of Huntington Junior College.

E N R I C O D E V E L O P M E N N E A C C O M M U N I T A I J O D N E M S Q U A L I T Y C S

H T

P Y A R T S O B S G R E R V I C E S

RELATIONSHIPS THAT LEAD TO PROGRESS At Shawnee State University, a vital part of our mission is to enrich the lives of our community. We do this by making higher education more accessible for the people of our region, providing quality education that prepares our students for the future, developing programs that meet the needs of our local industry, contributing to our local economy, and linking SSU resources to the overall needs of our community.

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Marshall University Forensic Science Center is recognized nationwide as a center of excellence. The center is home to a nationally accredited master’s degree program in forensic science and is nationally accredited for its multidisciplinary forensic science program and separately accredited for its computer forensics. The center also houses accredited investigative laboratories that work in conjunction with the West Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies to perform DNA testing and examination of all types of digital device evidence in criminal cases. Although students are not involved in actual casework and evidence handling, they use validated procedures and equipment to analyze mock case samples. Research in the area of DNA for human identification, illegal drugs, explosive and fire debris, and trace evidence allows students to experience laboratory analysis of a wide variety of evidence types. Academic programs, such as Marshall’s, have been called upon to meet the ever expanding needs of the forensic science community by graduating highly educated and trained professionals in many diverse areas of forensic science. This need is compounded by the large numbers of experienced forensic scientists at the

Our progress is reflected in the relationships and connections between our students, faculty, staff,

families, alumni and community. We’ve found a way to illustrate these connections in what we call a “web of relationships” that we’ve provided for you online.

We invite you to explore the SSU web at shawnee.edu/progress

C M Y K 50 inch 6H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013 260948

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c M Y K 50 inch progress 2013:

www.herald-dispatch.com

progress 2013:

Sunday, March 3, 2013

INDUsTrY

BELOW: Design Engineer Ronald Cabacar explains the process of the Z Corporation 450 3D Color Printer at the Robert C.. Byrd Institute in Huntington. LEFT: A finished print from the Z Corporation 450 3D Color Printer is shown at the Robert C.. Byrd Institute in Huntington.

PHOTOS By

SHOlTEn SingER THE HERalD-DiSPaTCH

INsIDe ThIs secTIoN

refinery poised for success The past year

was one of the best years ever at Marathon’s Catlettsburg Refining complex. / 3I

aDVanCES aT ROBERT C. ByRD inSTiTUTE

On the cutting-edge of 3D printing, design sTorY BY BeN FIeLDs / The heraLD-DIspaTch F

Blenko is back, bigger and better Blenko is finally

reaching the light at the end of the tunnel after filing for bankruptcy. / 5I

plenty of projects for steel Two Huntington steel producers provide a good pulse for the overall economy./ 1J

befields@herald-dispatch.com

t the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, you can hold the future in your hands. Literally. Since 2009, RCBI has been working with and developing processes of 3D printing, or, as it is now called, “additive manufacturing.” “Most manufacturing involves cutting, drilling, what you might call ‘subtractive,’” said James Casto, associate director of public information for RCBI. “Here, you’re actually adding fine layers of powder to make something — an actual object you can hold in your hands.” The institute has 3D printers at its locations in Huntington and Charleston that can literally create a three-dimensional replica or even a functioning prototype of any design a customer wants to build. Models of stealth bombers, a type of hydraulic lift used in mining and unique screw fittings sit on a table in a small room in the RCBI’s Huntington branch as examples of what the printer can produce.

“Oh yeah, this is Buck Rogers stuff, but it’s real,” Casto said. “This is a design we did for (J.H. Fletcher & Co.),” Casto said, picking up the model of a tracked piece of mining equipment. Basically, the process takes decades — if not centuries — of design work and dumps it on its head. Design Engineer Ronald Cabacar said the process saves customers looking to design equipment uncounted hours in time and uncounted dollars in research. “Normally, you would have to build (a design), test it and if it wasn’t right, scrap it and start again,” Cabacar said. “In short, you are saving the developer time by printing a design they can hold and look at and analyze. We want to give (the customer) something they can actually see.”

If changes need to be made, a developer can simply tweak their plan — typically called a CAD (computer-aided design) — and put it into the system again, instead of completely redesigning a working prototype. Aside from Fletcher, in recent years the RCBI has helped NGK Spark Plug Manufacturing USA create a variety of fixtures used in the company’s automated assembly of oxygen sensors; Allevard Sofegi USA with producing prototype automotive fuel filter housings; and First Impression Patterns in producing a variety of casting patterns, among other companies. The system is also used for reverse engineering — that is, looking at a finished product and figuring out how to recreate it.

Please see 3D PRINTING/2I

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Industry

2I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

ROBERT C. BYRD INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING

Way we make things will never be the same Today we are witnessing what some are calling the “Third Industrial Revolution,” and I’m proud to say the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI) is in the forefront of that dramatic transformation. When historians talk about the “Industrial Revolution,” they refer to the era in the late 18th century when making things by hand first gave way to producing them with steamor water-powered machines. In the early 20th century, automotive pioneer Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing again when he devised the moving assembly line, ushering in the era of mass production. Now manufacturing is

Charlotte

WEBER

being revolutionized a third time. The way we make things will never be the same. This new revolution is the result of an unprecedented technological convergence that’s bringing together sophisticated computer software, amazing new materials and innovative processes such as Additive Manufacturing (AM). Using AM technology, an object can be designed on a computer and then “printed”

on a 3D printer. The 3D printing that’s revolutionizing manufacturing has nothing to do with the traditional printing that gives us books, magazines and newspapers. Nor does it have anything to do with 3D movies. It’s something entirely different. A digitized design of an item is fed into a 3D printer, which then uses that design to create a solid object by building successive layers of materials. The 3D printer can run unattended and operate virtually anywhere — on a factory floor, in an office or even in your own garage. (With the price of 3D printers falling rapidly, their home use is just around the corner.) In the beginning, 3D print-

ers were primarily used to produce prototypes of new products, doing so far faster and cheaper than having a prototype machined by hand. But already 3D printers are being used in low-volume production runs, and their potential seems virtually limitless. In the future, 3D printers could be used to produce spare parts for all manner of products, meaning it no longer would be necessary to keep huge inventories of such parts on hand. Instead, you would simply call up a digital file of the part you need and then print it. At RCBI, we’ve been using 3D printing since 2009. Established in 1990, RCBI serves as an innovative catalyst for economic development

by providing manufacturers, entrepreneurs and workers access to the 21st century skills and equipment they need to compete in today’s global marketplace. Our Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centers in Huntington, Charleston, Bridgeport and Rocket Center (near Keyser in the state’s Eastern Panhandle) offer leased time on state-of-the-market, computer-controlled manufacturing equipment and a wide variety of technical training, as well as workforce development and quality implementation initiatives. Our Bridgeport facility is a national Center of Excellence for composite materials. Given our long-standing determination to be on the

leading edge of manufacturing technology, it was inevitable that we would venture into additive manufacturing. Since we installed our first 3D printer, dozens of clients have used our Design Works labs and our 3D printers in Huntington and Charleston to take their ideas to reality. Using the computers in our Design Labs, they can start with something as simple as a rough sketch on the back of an envelope and turn it into a three-dimensional computer model. That model can then be fed into a 3D printer to print the desired object. Now RCBI has taken a hugely important step in the Additive manufacturing revolution

Please see RCBI/3I

“PeoPle tend to think manufacturing is dead.

in high school, kids are told by their counselors that there is nothing there, and, as a result, manufacturers can’t find people to fill needed jobs. rcBi is here to demonstrate to companies that you can manufacture to their rigorous standards.” James Casto associate director of public information for Robert C. Byrd Institute ,

Photos by Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

ABOVE: Design Engineer Ronald Cabacar demonstrates the design process it takes before sending a digital file to the Z Corporation 450 3D Color Printer at the Robert C. Byrd Institute. INSET: Cabacar shows off a finished print from the the Z Corporation 450 3D Color Printer.

3D printing n Continued from 1I

Cabacar said there are many industries out there which need parts that don’t exist anymore for older equipment or machines. A company can bring the part in, and RCBI can figure out how to recreate it and build a physical model through the printer. He also said that there are some products that simply can’t be machined, which leaves large applications for additive manufacturing in industry and medical supplies — like replacement limbs or hip joints that can be specified to a person rather than mass-produced. Casto pointed out that the technology is open to anyone, not just a company or college program. “Maybe you don’t have a digital file workedup,”Castosaid.“Maybeyou’rea tinkererwithabrightideaorasketchon the back of an envelope. You can come here and we can work with you.”

The latest trend in additive manufacturing involves printers that use titanium and can produce real, working prototypes. “That’s the next step for us,” Casto said. “That’s where we want to get to.” Of course, RCBI is also still helping develop and improve more traditional means of manufacturing and helping community members find the skills to make a career in industry. “People tend to think manufacturing is dead,” Casto said. “In high school, kids are told by their counselors that there is nothing there, and, as a result, manufacturers can’t find people to fill needed jobs. RCBI is here to demonstrate to companies that you can manufacture to their rigorous standards.” Founded in 1990 from a federal grant secured by the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, the institute is also home to the “21st Century Manufacturing Network.” The network is a clearinghouse that allows manufacturers to take advantage of global commerce opportunities, Casto said. It allows smaller businesses to

Cabacar said a company can bring a part that might not exist anymore to the institute and they can figure out how to recreate it and build a physical model through the printer. expand their customer bases to RCBI has four manufacturing agencies like NASA, the Department technology centers, with locations in of Defense and other government Bridgeport and Rocket Center in addiagencies, along with domestic and tion to Huntington and Charleston. international markets, he said. The four centers serve all of

West Virginia, along with parts of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, though the institute has also assisted agencies in other states across the country.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Industry

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

RCBI

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

A finished rodent skull print from the Z Corporation 450 3D Color Printer is shown at the Robert C. Byrd Institute in Huntington.

Research Laboratory in Triadelphia. The new federal initiative is n Continued from 2I designed to connect industry, by joining as a key player in a universities, community colmajor federal investment that’s leges, federal agencies and establishing the nation’s first states in an effort aimed at Additive Manufacturing Inno- jumpstarting manufacturing vation Institute. innovation and fostering ecoThe purpose of this new nomic growth — a model very program is to accelerate the similar to RCBI’s mission for development, integration, the past 20 years. However, evaluation and exploitation in this instance the partners of additive manufacturing will work to introduce additive technology for commercial manufacturing technologies manufacturing. With that goal to as many manufacturers as in mind, the program’s more possible across our state. than 60 partners will conduct Training is another key extensive outreach to busicomponent of this new pronesses for the open exchange gram. Utilizing its statewide of additive manufacturing Advanced Manufacturing information, design tools, Technology Centers and shared manufacturing equipskilled instructors, RCBI will ment options, demonstration, leverage its extensive educaprocess improvement and tion and training programs energy/cost efficiency. to provide degree and certiThis extraordinary opporfication programs, workforce tunity also involves two West skills and on-the-job training Virginia companies: FMW specific to additive manufacComposite Systems, Inc. of turing. Bridgeport and Touchstone RCBI also will participate in

the development of “cradle to career” additive manufacturing educational programs for STEM students K-12 through college. This is an enormous opportunity for West Virginia to create new jobs, expand the innovative manufacturing strength of our country and enhance the future of our citizens. It underscores our capability to innovate and the ability of our workforce to prepare for today’s more technological workplace. Today’s new and emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing are rewriting the book on manufacturing. And RCBI is playing an essential role in the book’s newest chapters. Charlotte Weber is director and CEO of the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI). For more information on RCBI, log on to its website at www.rcbi. org.

KEY PLAYER: RONALD CABACAR

Catlettsburg refinery

poised for suCCess

ATLETTSBURG, Ky. — 2012 was one of the best years ever at Marathon’s Catlettsburg Refining complex, and the next two years could be even better, said Jim Cantrell, the plant’s division manager. “We had our best safety record ever last year,” Cantrell said. “We were in the top 10 percent in the industry for safety performance. We had our most successful financial performance in 2012. The Kentucky Association of Manufacturing voted Catlettsburg Refining as Kentucky’s Manufacturer of the Year for 2012. “I’ve never seen the future brighter than today,” Cantrell said.

story by daVid e. Malloy/tHe Herald-dispatCH The Marathon refinery along the Big Sandy River south of Catlettsburg processes 233,000 barrels of oil per day and employs 800 workers plus another 600 to 700 contract workers per day. Photo courtesy of Marathon

NAME: Ronald Cabacar. JOB: Design engineer, Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing. HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER? Joined Omron Mechatronics before 2004; transportation specialist with CDS Air Freight from 2004-2007; engineering department supervisor at McSweeny’s Inc. in South Point

before joining RCBI. FIRST JOB: Managing residential and commercial construction for Castillejos Construction Co. and repairing and maintaining mechanical parts at the Subic Shipyard in the Phillippines. FAMILY: Wife, son. FAVORITE BOOK: “The Lord of the Rings.” HOBBIES: Tennis, cycling.

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Labor Savings Products & Services Free Daily Delivery Service Energy Audits & Safety Training 24/7 Emergency Service On Staff Technical Support & Service Supply Chain Management Vendor Managed Inventory the majority of the crude oil refined there comes from domestic sources and Canadian crude. The refinery also could refine oil sands from the Keystone XL pipeline that is proposed from Canada to Cushing, Okla., he said. Complete detailed engineering for the new processing unit should be finished in March, and construction could start in June near the Big Sandy River at the south end of the plant. It is scheduled to come on line by late 2014, Cantrell said. It would be capable of refining 35,000 barrels of product per day, he said. The refinery is capable of refining about 5,000 barrels per day of the materials coming from the Utica and Marcellus fields, he said.

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The refinery, which processes 233,000 barrels of oil per day, has a gasoline market that stretches from Pittsburgh to Paducah, Ky., and from Columbus, Ohio, to Knoxville, Tenn. It employs 800 workers plus another 600 to 700 contract workers per day. Cantrell said the number of contract workers will be expanding in 2013 and 2014. Catlettsburg Refining is well positioned to benefit from the crude oil brought up from the Utica and Marcellus fields. The refinery is in planning stages of a multimillion dollar expansion project called the Uttica Fractionator that will provide feed stocks at lower costs to the refinery. “It’s an exciting opportunity,” he said. Over the past decade, the refinery has changed crude oil, Cantrell said. In 2002, the majority of the crude oil was from foreign sources. Now

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C M Y K 50 inch 4I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3 2013

Progress 2013: Industry

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Coming off one of best years ever, new technology, ability to process Utica, Marcellus materials has the Catlettsburg plant well positioned.

Photos courtesy of Troy Thomas

This diesel fuel filter and pump module is produced for Ford by the Allevard Sogefi USA Inc. plant in Prichard, W.Va.

Wayne County plant expects to hire more workers in 2013 The Herald-Dispatch

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Jim Cantrell is the plant manager of Marathon’s Catlettsburg refinery complex.

Refinery

n Continued from 4I

“We have a heavy maintenance schedule for 2013 and 2014,” he said. That will mean an increase in the number of contract workers at the refinery from around 600 per day to about 1,500 per day, Cantrell said. “It will be the heaviest turnaround schedule we’ve ever had,” he said. “When it’s done, we’ll essentially have processing units like new.” The refinery has two major crude processing units, he said. Only one will be taken down at a time for the maintenance improvements, he said. One concern is increased elec-

“We’re also seeing the number of retirements going up. They company will hire about 50 new full-time employees this year.” Jim Cantrell, plant manager of the refinery tric rates, Cantrell said. Over the past decade, the refinery in Boyd County has seen its electricity costs grow from the cheapest of Marathon’s seven refineries to the most expensive. “We’re also seeing the number of retirements going up,” he said. The company will hire about 50 new full-time employees this year. Information about the jobs is available online at marathonpetro-

leum.com/careers. Marathon completed its $2.5 billion expansion at its Detroit refinery on schedule and under budget, he said. The company also bought a 450,000-barrelsper-day refinery in Galveston Bay, Texas, from BP. “We’ve increased the company refining capacity by almost 30 percent,” he said. Catlettsburg Refining is now the company’s third largest refinery, he said.

A Wayne County plant that manufactures vehicle filtration systems and engine cooling modules expects to add 50 more workers by the end of 2013, making a workforce of 160, and has plans to employ 230 total by 2014. Allevard Sogefi USA Inc., in Prichard, is a division of Sogefi SPA, an Italian company. Customers of Allevard Sogefi USA include Ford, Chrysler, Fiat, TI Automotive and Mazda. The plant opened in 2004, making stabilizing bars used in suspension systems. At that time, there were about 100 employees, growing to a peak of 130. However, in 2009, after the economic downturn, the plant was forced to cut the staff to about 40. In2010,theplantshiftedtomanufacturing filtration systems and began hiring workers back. Now, general manager Troy Thomas says production has recovered. “Prior to 2008 the North American automotive industry consistently produced more than 16 mil-

This oil filter and cooling module is produced for Fiat at the Allevard Sogefi USA Inc. plant in Prichard, W.Va.

lion cars and trucks. In 2009 at the height of the economic crisis that number fell below 8 million, a 47 percent decrease. “Allevard Sogefi was also affected, but emerged from the crisis with a different product line, and we are now prospering. The North American automotive industry has almost recovered to historic levels and is expected to exceed 15 million vehicles in 2013,” Thomas said. Thomas says sales at the plant

are expected to double this year over last, and double again in 2014. And those increased sales are expected to result in an increased need for skilled workers. “Our ability to hire technically skilled people will be our biggest challenge to achieve our rapid business growth plan. We are constantly recruiting for a variety of positions, including manufacturing engineers, maintenance technicians, machinists and production operators,” he said.

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C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Industry

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Katie Trippe, vice president of Blenko Glass Co.

BLENKO

& BETTER BIGGER

STORY BY WHITNEY JOHNSON/THE HERALD-DISPATCH

lenko Glass Company is finally reaching the light at the end of the tunnel after a few rocky years that resulted in the filing of bankruptcy in 2011. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Ronald Pearson agreed to the company’s reorganization plan in December, allowing the company to move forward with the final stages of bankruptcy. The bankruptcy involved at least 50 creditors, with Big Two Mile Gas Co. being the highest debt. “It does consist of making some payments to some creditors who well deserve it,” said Katie Trippe, vice president of Blenko Glass Co. “Those payments will be made within closure of bankruptcy.” Although bankruptcy increased the amount of paperwork for the company, Trippe said it was a good choice for the company because it allowed them to reflect on how they were doing business and how to make it better. “Everything is heading in the right direction for sure. We’re feeling pretty optimistic about the business as a whole,” Trippe said. Trippe attributes the company’s success to its faithful supporters. “I am very thankful that we have been able to get to this point.” Trippe said. “I’m thankful for the support of the community. Without the support of the community, it wouldn’t happen.” As the company takes its final steps to emerge from bankruptcy, several new projects are in the works. “We now have a contract with Rejuvenation Lighting,” Trippe said. “We are producing the glassware for their lamps. We worked all of last year, and they introduced the line in November.” The lamps are currently available only on the Rejuvenation Lighting website and in its catalog. The business’ website offers vases and decanters made using Blenko Glass, in addition to the table tamps. “Beyond that, we have been working with PBS and are doing a pretty significant project with them, where we’ve introduced a new documentary,” Trippe said. “It’s more about the way our glass is produced and the families here. It’s more of a human interest piece than it is a strictly historical piece.” The documentary, which went nationwide in December, has been picked up by Public Broadcasting Services in Pennsylvania, Virginia

Glass is worked on at the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton.

PHOTOS BY TORIL LAVENDER FOR THE HERALD-DISPATCH

Perry Bays works on a Williamsburg Pitch at the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton. Employees at Blenko create a new hand-blown glass piece each year in celebration of West Virginia’s birthday. This year marks the state’s 150th birthday.

Randy Rider, production supervisor at Blenko Glass, works on a pitcher in the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton.

Please see BLENKO/6I

KEY PLAYER: GARY SMITH

KEY PLAYER: DAnIEL CHAPMAn NAME: Daniel Chapman. JOB: Mold maker and maintenance at Blenko Glass Co. HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER? Started working at Blenko at 18 and learned on the job. FIRST JOB: Tobacco warehouse. FAMILY: Wife and two children. FAVORITE BOOK: Bible.

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

and Brian Smith; three stepchildren, Jarrett, NAME: Gary Smith. JOB: Flattender/grinder for Blenko Glass Co. Randall and Wanda Adkins. SPECIAL SKILLS: Sheet glass flattener and HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER? “I was grinding at Blenko. a landscaper for Reuban Allen, who was vice FAVORITE BOOK: Bible. president at Blenko.” FAVORITE MOVIE: “Dances with Wolves.” FIRST JOB: Hammond Glass, Scott Depot, W.Va. FAVORITE TV SHOW: “The Waltons.” FAMILY: Wife, Mary; three sons, Doug, Greg

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

C M Y K 50 inch 6I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Progress 2013: Industry

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Allevard-Sogeﬁ

Photos by Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

The company has started to focus more on shows that involve American-made or handmade projects, where there are more buyers interested in their glass products.

Blenko

n Continued from 5I

We are looking forward to rapid growth in 2013 and 2014. If you would like to become a part of our successful team mail your resume to the address below; or stop by and ﬁll out an application in person. Randy Rider, production supervisor at Blenko Glass, works on a pitcher in the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton. shows across the country, including an American craft show in Philadelphia. The company has started to focus more on shows that involve American-made or handmade projects, where there are more buyers interested in their glass products. These shows have allowed the com-

pany to increase its customer base. “(Blenko Glass) is bigger and better but is remaining who we are. Part of what we discovered is that people really do appreciate what Blenko does offer,” Trippe said. “We still want to be humble and still want to be attached to our roots.”

What’s black and white and

GREENER than you’d think? Your newspaper!

1389 Round Bottom Road, Prichard, WV 25555. Allevard-Sogeﬁ USA Prichard, West Virginia Always 261165

The Herald-Dispatch is committed to reducing waste and recycling the materials used in production of the newspaper: • Recycling paper: In addition to using newsprint containing recycled fibers, The Herald-Dispatch sends waste paper products to recyclers. • Environmentally friendly ink: The newspaper uses primarily soy-based inks instead of the petroleum-based inks of the past. • Recycling film: The film used to put images on press plates is recycled. Silver used in processing is removed from the acetate base and both are recycled. • Recycling metal: The tin and aluminum used for plates on the newspaper and commercial print presses are sent to local iron and metal recyclers.

260978

and Ohio. Kentucky Education Television (KET) is scheduled to air the documentary on March 9, with several other scheduled dates following. Employees at Blenko create a new hand-blown glass piece each year in celebration of West Virginia’s birthday. This year marks the state’s 150th birthday. Blenko will be hosting a special event on June 22 for the sesquicentennial, and there will be a special piece available this year. “We feel like it’s a special birthday, so there may be more than one piece or a couple different options,” Trippe said. The sixth annual Festival of Glass will be held Aug. 2-3. It features artisans and vendors selling their products, food, classes for people to take and more. “A lot of people are planning their vacations around that weekend.” Trippe said. “Last year, I think the farthest that we had was Nevada or Washington State.” Many attendees traveled from the Midwest, Texas and North Carolina last year. “It speaks a lot for the area and what we have to offer, and that’s our people,” Trippe said about the long-distance travelers. Representatives of Blenko Glass have continued to attend

Allevard Sogeﬁ USA is proud to be contributing to progress in the Huntington region by supplying our customers with high quality engine ﬁltration systems from our plant in Prichard WV.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013:

www.herald-dispatch.com

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Steel industry adjusts to changing economy

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Ronny Hoose uses a grinder to debur a steel plate at Huntington Steel in Huntington.

Huntington’s two steel producers report plenty of projects in the market

he two major steel producers in Huntington provide a good pulse on the overall economy. If Steel of West Virginia and Huntington Steel are busy, it means freight is moving and infrastructure is being built. The heads of both companies both recently reported business was good, despite the downturn in mining and coal production. Both are heavy producers for the mining industry but are diversified enough to be making up the difference in other sectors. For Steel of West Virginia, it’s in freight, said Tim Duke, the company’s president. “Our performance is quite amazing as the steel industry as a whole did not have a robust 2012,” Duke said. “We are fortunate our prime market product demand was quite strong last year.” That prime market is the transportation industry — making the beams used in production of van trailers, industrial forklift components and rail equipment. That has culminated with Steel of West Virginia having two of its best years ever in terms of sales. Please see STEEL/3J

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Steel of West Virginia President Timothy Duke talks about the recent success of the company.

STORY BY BILL ROSENBERGER/THE HERALD-DISPATCH Workers tap an electric arc furnace into a ladle at Steel of West Virginia in Huntington. Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Timothy Duke Steel of West Virginia president

C M Y K 50 inch 2J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Progress 2013: Industry

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

While coal declines, W.Va. natural gas industry on the rise By RACHEL BAILEY

For The Herald-Dispatch

Even as coal production in West Virginia declines, the state remains a center of energy production, thanks in large part to natural gas. The natural gas industry provided 19,956 jobs to West Virginians in 2010, the last year for which data is available, according to the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association. Numbers from the West Virginia Department of Employment Programs (WVDEP) reveal that oil and gas extraction’s “core industries” grew another 916 jobs the following year. “These are extremely good jobs,” said Cal Kent, a Lewis Distinguished Professor of Business at Marshall University. Drilling rigs move around

the country, drilling natural gas wells and installing equipment. Each job is temporary, meaning crews can be coming from and going to practically anywhere in the country. In other words, they’re not necessarily jobs for West Virginians. But wells also require maintenance, and for these jobs, Kent said that energy companies are turning to locals to fill the role. “The industry, and rightfully so, is being watched so carefully that you want to make sure that the wells are being maintained correctly. That can’t be done by someone who’s a high school dropout and has no training,” he said. “Most of the companies are making a major effort to hire West Virginians, especially for the permanent jobs.” In fact, demand is so high for

“The industry, and rightfully so, is being watched so carefully that you want to make sure that the wells are being maintained correctly. That can’t be done by someone who’s a high school dropout and has no training.” Cal Kent, Lewis Distinguished Professor of Business at Marshall

skilled workers in the state’s natural gas industry that Marshall University’s business school has started an energy management program to meet the demand for

people who understand energy markets and can manage energy companies. “We have always had a large number of students enter the ener-

gy industry,” Kent said. “A good quarter of the management, the MBAs and accountants have been out in the energy industry.” Wages for work in the natural gas industry are rising in West Virginia. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, employment in natural gas in West Virginia has grown by 9.5 percent between 2008 and 2011. During that time, wages have risen an average of $8,100, from a 2008 average of $61,898 to $70,082. Jobs created in the natural gas industry range from skilled labor, like petroleum engineering and geoscience, to positions that don’t evenrequireahighschooldiploma, like wellhead pumpers, for which there is on-the-job training. “There can be no doubt the recent upswing in activity within (construction and support

sectors) can only be attributed to measurable activity in the Marcellus Shale gas field,” says a WVDEP report on the influence of the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia. “The drilling of gas wells in 2008 employed 14. By 2011 this activity employed 178, a gain of more than 1,000 percent,” the report continues. Support activities, such as excavation and surveying, have grown by 112 percent and 1,106 jobs in the same period, with wages in that sector growing by 42 percent. Whether this growth will continue, the WVDEP says, “time will tell.” But Kent seems confident that, at the very least, the jobs we have are here to stay.

Please see NATURAL GAS/3J

APPALACHIAN POWER’S JOHN E. AMOS PLANT

UPS AND DOWNS OF

COAL

IN WEST VIRGINIA

oal has long been a staple of the West Virginia economy. But with the rise of natural gas and changes to the U.S. energy policy, recent years have been a struggle for the coal industry. “There has been a phenomenal turnaround in energy markets in the U.S. and probably worldwide,” said Cal Kent, a Lewis Distinguished Professor of Business at Marshall University. “The production of coal in West Virginia has gone down for several reasons.”

STORY BY RACHEL BAILEY/FOR THE HERALD-DISPATCH

The Associated Press

Workers at Kanawha River Terminals fill a coal barge on the Kanawha River in Quincey, W.Va., in this file photo. Although both domestic demand for coal and West Virginia production of coal has decreased in recent years, a bright spot is coal exports. West Virginia exported 40 percent more coal in 2012 than it did in 2011, but that wasn’t enough to compensate for the decrease in domestic demand. According to Kent, lower-cost coal seams have Despite the increase in exports, West Virginia been more or less completely mined, competition coal production was still down more than 8 perfrom natural gas is on the rise, and environmental cent in 2012, and the mining industry in the state regulations are forcing older, coal-burning plants lost more than 5,000 jobs, according to the West to cease production. Virginia Department of Revenue. The bright spot, he said, is exports. Much of the rise is attributable to increased “The demand for coal in countries like India and demand from Asia. West Virginia coal exports China is growing. That will be very, to China increased more than fivevery substantial as those economies fold, from $93 million to $567 million, grow, and they don’t follow environbetween 2011 and 2012. Coal exports mental restrictions we have in the U.S.,” to Japan increased more than tenfold, Kent said, adding that the worldwide from $29 million to $395 million. markets for coal are strong. But, according to Nick Carter of In the meantime, though, that hasn’t Natural Resource Partners, a firm stopped coal companies from laythat owns properties where coal is ing off thousands in West Virginia. mined, the current administration has Reports from the West Virginia Coal worked to make exporting difficult. Association show that, between 2010 “Last year, we exported 120 million and 2011, West Virginia lost 2,256 tons of coal, which is a record,” Carter mining jobs, finishing the year with says. “There are a number of applica20,334. An additional 29,512 people Nick Carter tions for new ports and for port expanof Natural worked as contractors. sion that would allow that capacity to Resource Partners An uptick in exports of American expand to about 200 million tons of coal would be a boon for workers as coal.” well as for the state and local governments, which He says he believes the applications are being held collect revenue in the form of severance taxes. up by the Obama administration out of concerns West Virginia exported 40 percent more coal in about global warming. 2012 than it did in 2011, but that wasn’t enough to In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engicompensate for a decrease in domestic demand, neers dated April 5, 2012, regarding a proposed according to government data. coal transloading facility to be built in Oregon, The export data released Feb. 25 by the U.S. the EPA cited concerns about “the potential for Department of Commerce shows West Virginia adverse effects from project-related coal dust coal exports rose by $2.1 billion to a total of $7.4 Please see COAL/3J billion for the year.

Courtesy of Phil Moye/AEP

A newly completed bridge from the John E. Amos Plant over W.Va. 817, shown under construction last winter, will allow trucks to transport ash from the plant to a landfill without traveling Route 817. The trucks will begin using the new bridge and haul road in the latter part of 2013.

SPAN OF PROGRESS G.W. Massey Bridge built to remove ash-hauling traffic from W.Va. 817

By BONNY RUSHBROOK For The Herald-Dispatch

One of the most significant construction projects of the past year at Appalachian Power’s John E. Amos Plant is the construction of a bridge over Route 817 that will be used for ash-hauling trucks. The structure, called the G.W. Massey Bridge — named for former plant manager Greg Massey who retired in 2010 — went into service in late 2012, according to Jon Webster, environmental and lab supervisor at the plant. The bridge was built to access the newer Bills Creek landfill across the highway from Amos Plant later in the year. Although the bridge, which is 350 feet long, is presently used by employees to access the plant’s Bills Creek landfill, ash transport using the bridge and the new 3,700-foot-long haul road won’t begin until the current landfill space off Route 817 near Winfield is depleted, which most likely will be in the

third or fourth quarter of 2013, Webster said. Decisions and planning for the bridge began in 2009, said Webster. “The idea to build the bridge was a joint decision by Appalachian Power and Amos Plant management, along with parent company AEP, AEP Environmental Services and AEP Civil and Geotechnical Services (Landfills),” Webster said. The bridge and associated haul road will remove ash-hauling truck traffic from Route 817. “There are two locations on Route 817 (the plant entrance and the Bills Creek intersection) that have the potential to create sight distance and safety hazards where the ash-handling trucks and the public interact,” Webster said. A new bridge connecting the plant to the area near the landfill was the answer. Webster said the planning and approval process for the bridge was completed in 2009, and construction took approximately two years. The grading

and ground clearing took place in fall 2010 with road construction completed in early 2011. The bridge construction itself began in fall 2011, with bridge deck construction completed during the spring of 2012. The last section of road construction was completed during the summer of 2012. The bridge, which was designed by MS Consultants, Inc. in Charleston, is designed and constructed to allow ashhandling trucks to carry a permitted weight of 120,000 pounds compared to a permitted weight of 80,000 pounds on Route 817. “AEP Project Field Services supervised construction with Brayman Construction as the lead contractor,” Webster said. Webster said the curved design of the bridge took into consideration the property owners across from Route 817, allowing construction to be completed without encroaching onto the neighbor’s property.

Please see BRIDGE/3J

DISTRIBUTORS OF

PIPE, VALVES & FITTINGS 260849

n While exporting coal to China, India remains a bright spot for the industry, a decrease in domestic demand has resulted the loss of 5,000 mining jobs in West Virginia in 2012

Huntington – Parkersburg – Beckley Norton, VA Toll Free 800-334-5226 “Service is more than a promise.”

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Industry

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Coal

competition from natural gas is coal’s biggest problem, Vance blames the administration’s restrictions. “They don’t want to burn coal in power plants, so they’re continually restricting coal and what they can do,” he says. Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow cautions that experts foresee coal production continuing to decrease in West Virginia. “The United States is not a major steel producing country like it once was,” Muchow said. “Between 2012 and 2016, over 8.5 percent of total coalfired electric power generation in the United States is being retired, and about 15 percent of the coal-powered electric power generation in West Virginia is scheduled to retire.” Service Pump and Supply has diversified its business enough to avoid any layoffs so far. But business is much harder with less money rolling in from industries like steel, which uses metallurgical coal in production. “A good coal mine with a lot of pump business could be a million-dollar-a-year business. There aren’t many other million-dollar businesses around here for us. We’ve got to have ten other customers to make up for that coal account,” Vance says.

n Continued from 2J

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

A new stacker runs at Steel of West Virginia in Huntington.

Steel

n Continued from 1J

And while Duke said he is not sure how long the uptick will last, the company’s success is a great indicator of where the national economy is. “We measure strength in the economy by how much freight moves in this country,” Duke said. “Freight movements are coming back again. We anticipate the demand to be good in 2013.” At Huntington Steel, which has been a family-owned business since 1904, fabrication is up 90 percent. It’s less profitable, said President Mike Emerson, because the industry is so competitive. But it is helping to keep the shop busy and offset the 40 percent losses being seen at the company’s branch locations, which rely heavily on mining. “The net effect is we’re still down a little bit, but fabrication is up,” Emerson said. He and Mark Trimble, the marketing manager, said the company has two things going for it. It is in the midst of a business cycle of higher education construction that has it fabricating steel for Marshall University, West Virginia University and Glenville State College. Those long-term projects provide steady work to complement smaller commercial and residential projects. Huntington Steel also has benefitted from the booms in the oil and gas industry, including projects in Morgantown and Floyd County, Ky. The eastern Kentucky project is a plant that turns natural gas into electricity. Bob Bacon, who came from Special Metals to lead Huntington Steel’s outside sales division, travels throughout the region meeting with companies about the prospect of providing steel. He said there are projects being discussed, designed and budgeted for. “We’re seeing consistency in inquiries for projects,” Bacon said. “We’re hopeful those will be constructed.” One way to stay ahead of the game is by being creative and innovative. Both Huntington Steel and Steel of West Virginia have worked to stay ahead of the curve and to set themselves apart from their competition. Duke said Steel of West Virginia came up with a beam for solar farms and was the first mill to market the design. Other steel manufacturers have followed, he said. “We’re always adding product,” Duke said. “We also do a lot of research and development projects.”

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The two major steel producers in Huntington provide a good pulse on the overall economy. If Steel of West Virginia and Huntington Steel, above, are busy, it means freight is moving and infrastructure is being built. At Huntington Steel, customers are provided with a complete budgeting analysis for projects that includes hard prices and a schedule. That has become critical in being selected for jobs even when the company hasn’t been the low bidder, Trimble said. Emerson added that it has been a valuable component for the large projects like Marshall, which had bids from steel fabricators in Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania. And for the smaller projects, the budgeting figures are a necessity when those companies are seeking financing. “Weofferabroadrangeofservices,”Trimble said. “The more services we provide, the more competitive we can become.” Both companies also have invested millions of dollars in equipment and infrastructure the past five years, doing so during tough economic times because, as Duke and Emerson said, the industry is cyclical. There are ups and downs, and both are hoping coal mining will start turning back up. But Emerson and Trimble aren’t sure when that will happen. They noted that it’s not uncommon for coal miners to be laid off or mines to be idled. But they said mine companies have taken it a step further by removing equipment from the mines. In addition to profitability, both companies also have successes in other areas. Steel of West Virginia had its most profitable year in 2011 followed by its second-most profitable year in 2012. But Duke said he is most proud to

report the company had the best safety performance in its history with no lost time due to injuries while working nearly 2 million man hours. Both companies also are maintaining staffing levels and building strong relationships with Marshall. Not only is Huntington Steel providing all the steel for the university’s new engineering complex, Emerson said it also is partnering with the College of Information Technology and Engineering. “The vision of (CITE’s dean) is to connect students to the construction project,” Emerson said. “Our hope is to have students come to see the 3-D modeling for their building, see the fabrication, see the steel go up and, ultimately, be in the building.” And Steel of West Virginia touts that 55 percent of its managers attended or graduated from Marshall. In addition, the company uses Marshall to help screen new hires. There also are 15 students from Marshall currently interning at Steel of West Virginia. However, what they really need are industrial electricians and millwrights. Duke said they have and are still willing to work with higher education institutions to provide training programs. “West Virginia has a great pool of managers and production workers,” Duke said. “They have grit and know how to get the job done. Getting skilled workers is a problem here and nationally. There’s just not enough of them.”

and diesel pollution” as well as “the cumulative impacts to human health and the environment from increases in greenhouse gas emissions, rail traffic, mining activity on public lands, and the transport of ozone, particulate matter and mercury from Asia to the United States.” The letter from the EPA mentions there are at least five other similar proposals to export coal to Asia from the Pacific Northwest. Carter, a strong supporter of building new ports, said, “If the ports are allowed to be built, then they will be filled up with U.S. coal, because U.S. coal is in high demand.” Carter, a member of the National Mining Association (NMA), is fighting back. Last summer, the NMA won a suit against the EPA. The plaintiffs claimed water-quality standards for the coal industry infringed on states’ authority to regulate mining. The U.S. District Court in Washington agreed. Danny Vance, owner of Pump Service and Supply in Huntington, has also taken a hit. “It’s off about 40 percent, as far as our business is concerned, with the coal mining industry,” says Vance. The Associated Press conUnlike Carter, who feels tributed to this report.

Lewis Distinguished Professor of Business at Marshall

Natural gas n Continued from 2J

“I’ve been hearing since Jimmy Carter that we had to turn off our gas-powered yard lights because there couldn’t possibly be enough gas. All of this doom and gloom has proved not to pan out,” he said. “In coal, we’ve mined the better seams,” he continued, “and it’s for that natural gas has come along to replace it.” For natural gas to continue to grow, Kent said a focus on “downstream industries” is essential. Downstream industries are industries that help process natural gas into different products. Just as oil is “cracked” into products of various sophistications and uses — aviation fuel, gas, fuel oil and asphalt, for example — natural gas must be separated into different useful components. “There’s the issue of bringing a cracker to West Virginia. All hydrocarbons are basically cracked; the stream is separated,” Kent explained. “We have over 200 hydrocarbons that we call natural gas.” There are two kinds of natu-

ral gas — dry gas and wet gas. Wet natural gas can be cracked into all number of products, from plastics and fuel to ethanes and butanes used in the chemical industry. “Coal is the same way, which is why we have Chemical Valley, which you’ve seen if you’ve driven from Huntington to Charleston,” Kent said. “We have to somehow or another develop a downstream industry, get the crackers here to use the liquids that we are taking off of the wet gas,” he said. Appalachian Resins Inc. is expected to make an announcement soon regarding a planned a multimillion dollar cracker in the Wheeling area, with construction slated for later this year. Meanwhile, Shell is planning a much larger ethane cracker in Monaca, Pa. While it won’t bring tax revenue to W.Va., the fact that it is only 12 miles from the border may well mean jobs for West Virginia residents in the area. Developments like these will no doubt mean continued growth in natural gas jobs and wages for West Virginians in the years to come.

Bridge

n Continued from 2J

The architectural finish of the bridge abutment wall is designed to give it a decorative “stacked stone” look. The bridge abutment itself is backfilled with bottom ash from the Amos Plant, which helped reduce earthwork costs and allowed for beneficial re-use of bottom ash that results from the burning of coal at the plant. Appalachian Power Spokesman Phil Moye said the plant tries to consider all who will be involved when it does this type of construction. “We try to take our plant neighbors into consideration when we do something like this, and this bridge is a good example,” he said. Moye said the new bridge will benefit everyone. “It benefits motorists and people who live near the plant by reducing traffic on the main road, and it helps the plant by providing easier access to the landfill,” he added. The bridge’s design also flows well with the landscape. “It’s an attractive addition to Route 817, and it serves a useful purpose,” Moye said. The John E. Amos Power Plant is a three-unit coal-fired power plant owned and operated by Appalachian Power, which is a subsidiary of American Electric Power. It is the largest plant in the AEP 11-state system. Its total

Bonny Rushbrook/For The Herald-Dispatch

The G.W. Massey Bridge, built by American Electric Power’s John E. Amos plant, will allow trucks to haul ash from the plant to a landfill without using W.Va. 817. generating capacity is 2,900 megawatts. According to Moye, along with the construction of the bridge, John Amos Plant personnel have made recent environmental upgrades including a

Unit 3 scrubber which was completed in 2009, and Unit 1 and 2 flue gas desulfurization systems (scrubbers) which were completed in 2011. The scrubbers are designed to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 98 percent.

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment, also installed on the units, reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent. The construction of scrubbers and SCRs at Amos is part of a $4.2 billion effort begun in

2004 by Appalachian Power parent company AEP to install environmental controls on its fleet of coal-fired generating units. More than $2 billion in environmental upgrades have been constructed on Appala-

chian Power coal-fired generating units. There are 315 Appalachian Power employees at the John E. Amos Plant. Of those, 44 are dedicated to operation of the plant’s scrubbers.

C M Y K 50 inch 4J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

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The Professional Garage Door People

Est. 1965

Huntington

736-8333

ESTABLISHED ESTABLISHED IN

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING americanstandardair.com

1400 Sixth Avenue Huntington, WV

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL W\_YW [ WYXU`ZY [ `^WV\__\V`]^

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114 Dingess St., Barboursville

304-523-5886 304-736-5050

304-736-5413 America’s Finest Garage Doors

261201

WV001029

ESTABLISHED ESTABLISHED IN

1980 1986 1991 1996 1997 1152 South Main Street Milton, WV 25541

1222 S Main St Milton, WV 25541-1224

(304) 743-4315

waynesheating@frontier.com

(304) 743-3182

Contractor License # WV006441

304-523-2300 800-675-8890

www.wvhometour.com Jim Weiler, Broker

RESTAURANT

(304) 529-0919 1208 Sixth Avenue Huntington, WV

261081

WAYNE’S HEATING & A/C

Locally Owned 260866

Certiﬁed Picture Framer

261079

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Martha Valentine Powers

245014

WAYNE’S HEATING & A/C

Jamie Clagg, Manager

2050 Rt. 60 Milton, WV 25541

304-743-1571 260601

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Industry

6J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013

Bill

DINGUS

Logistics increasing attraction to The Point

Economic development has become a byline for almost every not-for-profit entity and government program. They look at strategies to offer site decision-makers larger incentives. States compete with huge packages of incentives, most of which were derived by overtaxing ongoing businesses; however, companies are learning to look at the long-term bottom line, rather than huge incentives that are paid back through higher taxes. As I work with decision-makers, I have found that the three elements at the top of the list for manufacturing companies are tax structure, logistics and workforce. Ohio is becoming a great place to do business with its elimination of personal property, inventory and corporate franchise taxes as well as a 20 percent reduction of personal income tax; therefore, businesses are looking to those parts of Ohio that offer great logistics opportunities. The Point Industrial Park at South Point, Ohio, is growing in attractiveness as logistics become more important to decisions. With over eight miles of private rail linked to the Norfolk Southern Heartland Corridor and 3,200 feet of riverfront, the Point is very attractive for the manufacture of oversized and overweight items that need rail or water for movement. Its proximity to the Heartland Corridor’s Prichard Inland Port provides growing opportunities in logistics and manufacturing. A new industrial road to and along the Ohio River has just been completed, and by early summer bids will go out to build a $4.5 million dock and a $6 million rail spur along the river. These items coupled with a recently constructed 10,000-square-foot truck to rail transfer pad and both truck and rail scales should properly prepare the Point and the Tri-State to embrace the freight traffic to and from Asia when the Panama Canal expansion is complete. The Point Industrial Park has attracted many new and expanding businesses that need rail or will be likely to utilize rail- and water-based transportation in the future. By midsummer the Point, as it is referred to, should be the home of over 500 jobs. Steps have been taken to prepare the Point for continued growth, especially that from foreign areas. The Point has an activated general purpose foreign trade zone, FTZ #270. Additionally, the economic development leadership of Lawrence County has applied for a regional EB5 certification which, when approved, will provide an incentive of a visa to foreign companies or individuals who invest and create a preset number of jobs in the United States. In the pursuit of foreign investment in Lawrence County, websites are being made available in selected foreign languages, and two foreign investment trips are being planned. It is becoming more evident that the element needing attention in our Tri-State region is workforce. The difficulty in recruiting drugfree employees with desired skill sets grow with every new company that comes to the region. If the Point and the region are to have a progressive future in manufacturing, workforce is key. As you go through our retail centers and fast food outlets, you see large numbers of individuals that have a great work ethic and are drug-free but lack the skills needed to fill the skilled jobs that are open throughout the Tri-State. Training institutions need to concentrate on recruiting the underemployed and requiring passing national certification standards to complete the program. Additionally, it would be helpful if a drug test would be part of the admission requirements, rather than investing huge resources, largely coming from taxes, into individuals who can’t meet the basic requirements of most responsible manufacturing positions. The futures of The Point and the Tri-State are very bright in the area of manufacturing. Each of the three states has tax advantages for different kinds of businesses and all three have logistics access opportunities; therefore, the area that has the best trained workforce will get larger numbers of the new jobs. Bill Dingus is executive director of the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation.

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

INDUSTRIAL PARK ENJOYING

SUCCESS

David E. Malloy/The Herald-Dispatch

Although a formal announcement has yet to be made, FedEx signs have been erected at a 75,000-square-foot building at The Point industrial park in South Point. The company is expected to bring 112 jobs. Another company, Intermountain Electronics, is also beginning operations at The Point, bringing an initial 18 jobs, and potentially up to 35 positions within a few years.

Company expected to bring 112 jobs to The Point By DAVID E. MALLOY

“We’re looking for a tenant for Spec5, a 30,000 square-foot building completed in December. We also hope to have a tenant this year for the Chatham Steel building.”

The Herald-Dispatch

dmalloy@herald-dispatch.com

SOUTH POINT, Ohio — 2013 could be the busiest year yet at The Point, a South Point industrial park that could be home for some 500 employees by this summer. The Point is growing in attractiveness as logistics becomes more important, said Bill Dingus, executive director of the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation, the entity which oversees development at the 500-acre industrial park. “With over eight miles of private rail linked to the Norfolk Southern Heartland Corridor and 3,200 feet of riverfront, The Point is very attractive for the manufacture of oversized and overweight items that need rail or water for movement,” Dingus said. Intermountain Electronics is spending $4.4 million to develop a 60,000 square-foot building along County Road 1. The company, which makes electronic transformers used in the industrial and mining-related activities, will employ 18 initially and provide up to 35 jobs in a few years, said Jeremy Clay, director at the industrial park. The company received an occupancy permit in February and is getting ready to begin operations, Clay said.

Jeremy Clay

director at The Point The next company to open at The Point is expected to bring 112 jobs to the industrial park when it opens this spring at a 75,000-square-foot building along Commerce Drive. Signs were erected at the site last month saying the company to be locating there is FedEx. No formal announcement has been made through midFebruary. A new industrial road along the Ohio River has been completed. Early this summer, bids will go out on a $4.5 million dock and a $6 million rail spur along the river, Dingus said. The industrial park already has built a 10,000square-foot truck to rail transfer pad

with both truck and rail scales. The expansion of the Panama Canal is expected by the end of 2014, Dingus said. “We have a foreign trade zone,” he said. “We hope to have international firms interested in the industrial park. Asia is in a major growth spurt.” “We’re in serious negotiations to lease and expand our 60,000 squarefoot shell building along County Road 1,” Dingus said. That expansion could bring the building to more than 80,000 square feet and bring in a number of new jobs,” he said. “The shell building has been vacant for about a year,” Clay said.

If negotiations are finalized, “we would hope they could open this year. If it happens, it will be one of the largest employers at The Point. We’re also talking to another company that could build their own building at the industrial park.” The development corporation also wants to rehab one of the two 1 million gallon tanks that haven’t been used since South Point Ethanol closed down in 1996, Clay said. The project could go out for bids in April and take about three months to complete at a cost of about $500,000, he said. “We’re looking for a tenant for Spec 5, a 30,000 square-foot building completed in December,” Clay said. “We also hope to have a tenant this year for the Chatham Steel building.” The company closed earlier this year, leaving the 56,000 square-foot building vacant. If the development corporation gets a tenant for one of its empty shell buildings, Clay said, they’ll start building another one. Another project that needs attention is a better intersection along U.S. 52 at Solida Road, Dingus said. “Making improvements there is one of our goals,” he said. “With the new jobs we’re bringing in, there will be more traffic.”

Little company doing big business Family operation JABO Supply still going strong after 49 years in area By BEN FIELDS

The Herald-Dispatch

befields@herald-dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — JABO Supply Corporation, on Bradley Street in Huntington, started with two employees in the back of an Aamco station. Thebusinesswasfoundedin1964 bybrothersJackandBobBazemore. The name came from the first two letters of each brother’s name. It may not sound exciting, but the company is one of the leading wholesale suppliers of industrial JoE HoLLEy pipe and valve fittings. JABO executive vice Some are enormous, custom president and CFO jobs done in the company’s new fabrication shop. Others are more simple supply jobs. But, to be clear, these aren’t the pipe fittings you find at Lowe’s. These are industrial jobs for coal prep facilities, chemical plants, manufacturers and energy plants. Coal is mostly where it’s at, with 60 percent of JABO’s business consisting of coal companies and contractors who service coal mines. “Anywhere there’s piping, JACK BAZEMoRE that’s where we are,” said Curtis JABO president Drown, vice president of sales and marketing. The business now operates out of a couple of facilities, including a 100,000-squarefoot office and warehouse in Huntington. JABO also operates at sites in Beckley and Parkersburg in the Mountain State and one location in Norton,Va.Thecompanydealswith clients in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky,PennsylvaniaandVirginia. As for Drown, he started as a warehouse worker in 1970. In the intervening time he’s JAy BAZEMoRE worked just about every job executive vice president there is at the company.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

JABO Supply is located at 5164 Bradley St. in Huntington. “I always thought when I was younger that I needed to get a job with a bigger company like Owens Illinois,” Drown said. “But Jack Bazemore told me if I stayed on I would move up, and now, I’ve been here 43 years and, as it turns out, all of those other companies are out of business. So it was a good decision to stay on.” JABOisstillprettymuchasmall, family-type business. It just does big jobs. The service area stays fairly regional, though the companydoessomeinternationalwork. DrownsaidJABOdoesn’tnecessarily solicit international business, butsomecompaniesfromoverseas have sought out JABO. The company employs 85 people, most of whom work in Huntington. Despite its size, JABO has got-

ten some big recognition. The company was recently inducted into the Pipe Valve Fitting Hall of Fame, an organization maintained by The Wholesaler, a company trade magazine. That may sound obscure, but there are some pretty big corporations in the PVF Hall. “It’s kind of a status symbol for a small company from Huntington to be in there among companies that have a national, or even international, presence,” Drown said. “We’re quite proud of it.” Bob Bazemore died after a heart attack in 1978. But Jack Bazemore still serves as the company president to this day, and is joined by his son Jay, who serves as vice president. Jack Bazemore also takes

time to give back to the community where his business grew from that fledgling garage to that 100,000-square-foot warehouse. Jack Bazemore is president of the board of directors for the Huntington City Mission. Drown said the company supported more than 50 charities in 2012 through financial donations and is also involved with the United Way of the River Cities. W h i le t he compa ny i s expanding with its custom fabrication shop, Drown said JABO will always represent the values of a small business. “It’s the best company in the world to work for,” Drown said. “It’s a family atmosphere that’s been built on fairness toward its employees.”

C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 1, 2013

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8J The Herald-Dispatch â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 3, 2013