When I first walked down to meet the students of Lycoming Career and Technology Center, or as the students refer to it, Lyco CTC, I was apprehensive. I admit that I walked into it almost fully blind, having very little idea of what I was getting myself into while shadowing students in the Health Careers department.
Despite my nerves, I was immediately welcomed by juniors Charlotte Greenway and Mallory Ade.
Ade is the only student in the Health Careers department, so I stuck close to her as we got off the bus at Hughesville High School. I then spent half of the allowed hour in the group studying terminology and the other half with a separate group in a different building completing a lab.
Overall, the experience was certainly worthwhile. Being among the students, I could tell how much everyone enjoys what they are doing.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my entire life and I can’t imagine doing anything besides this,” said Greenway.
Greenway is studying Early Childhood Development at Lyco. “It’s very rewarding to do something you love every day and look forward to it.”
Aside from the enjoyment that comes with completing something you’re passionate about, Lyco also provides students with the stepping stones to succeed wherever their career path might take them.
“If you have an idea of what you want to go into, [Lyco] is a great way to get your foot in the door to prepare you for what you want to do later in life,” said junior Brianna Miller who is also a student in the Health Careers department.
“It’s a real-life experience rather than just sitting in a classroom getting talked to,” Ade said, “I feel so much more prepared and when I go to college, I’ll have that knowledge instead of going in knowing nothing.”

Health Careers teacher Ms. Dawn Shaffer agrees that Lyco is an “excellent place to start.”
“You’re getting the foundational knowledge and skills that you’re going to need to be successful and you’re going to be one step ahead of your peers that maybe didn’t have an opportunity like this,” Shaffer said.
There is also the opportunity as a senior for students to get an actual paid job in their fields through Cooperative Education The students are getting paid, but they are also gaining valuable experience that could help them obtain full-time employment in adulthood, said Shaffer.
Another important aspect of Lyco is the people you meet and the connections you make with students from other schools.
“You meet a lot of interesting people, especially if this is your career choice you get to meet like-minded individuals that have very similar ideas and ideals,” said sophomore Eliah Bower, who is taking his first year of Culinary at Lyco.
“I like the bonds you get to build with the people in your class. You bond over going through some hard times together,” Greenway said, “It’s a very good support system.”
Miller, Greenway, Bower, and Ade agree that they have made good connections with people inside and outside of the school through Lyco.
Lyco is also a good way to try out a possible career choice before you commit to it after high school.
“I’m not sure [culinary] is for me personally, but I feel like it’s definitely a good opportunity for someone who wants to go into that form of business,” Bower said.
Shaffer added that the program can also allow students the opportunity to figure out what career path they do or do not want to take.
“Maybe you think you want to be a nurse so you come and spend some time here, but you might realize that this isn’t what you want to do, which I think is really valuable,” Shaffer said, “You didn’t spend any money or waste any time in college figuring out that you need to choose a different path.”
“I just feel like it’s a good way to go for everything you want to get into,” Ade said, “It’s a good experience firsthand and theory-wise, so you get a lot of hands-on experience but also more terminology-based learning.”
Featured photo (above): Junior Mallory Ade practices handling a mannequin in the lab space. The lab they are completing requires the students to get a mannequin (or a student volunteer) into a wheelchair out of bed and then back into bed from the wheelchair. Photo by Catherine Hittle
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