Washington County Career & Technical Education Center

We are excited to invite our community to join us as we celebrate and honor the brave men and women who have served our country! Please join us on Friday, November 13, for our Veterans Day Assemblies at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM as we take time to recognize the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of our nation’s veterans.

🎃👻 Halloween fun in Early Childhood Education! 🧡 Our Early Childhood Education students had a spooktacular time hosting Mrs. Hockett’s three-year-old Pre-K class for a day of Halloween fun! From smiles and laughter to activities, games, and plenty of festive memories, everyone had a boo-tiful time! 🕸️🍬 These experiences give our students the opportunity to put their skills into action, build meaningful connections with little learners, and experience the joy of working with children firsthand. Learning, leading, and making memories… that’s what ECE is all about! 🧡🎃 #EarlyChildhoodEducation #TeachersForTomorrow #LearningByDoing #FutureEducators

❤️ Real Stories. Real Hope. Real Impact. ❤️ A special thank-you to Josh Thomason and Nick Terry for taking the time to visit WCCTEC today during Red Ribbon Week and share their personal experiences with our students. Your honesty, courage, and willingness to share your journeys remind our students that their past does not define their future, that recovery is possible, and that there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow. Sometimes the most powerful lessons come from hearing real stories from real people. Thank you for making a difference, inspiring our students, and reminding them that their future is full of possibilities and worth fighting for. We are grateful for you both and the impact you made today! ❤️ #RedRibbonWeek #RealStoriesRealHope #WCCTEC #MakingADifference

🌟 Building Tomorrow’s Leaders at WCCTEC! 🌟 Our SkillsUSA officers had the opportunity to participate in the SkillsUSA Far Southwest Leadership Training hosted by Tazewell County Career and Technical Center! We were excited to learn from and hear from SkillsUSA State Vice President Cole Ritchie, Postsecondary President Caleb Brown, and State Secretary Lillian Wimmer, who joined us to share their leadership experiences and encourage the next generation of SkillsUSA leaders. Students from across the region came together for a day of leadership development, teamwork, networking, and activities focused on building the skills needed to become tomorrow’s leaders. A special thank-you to Deborah Tripp for her outstanding leadership, engaging activities, and mentorship throughout the training! We are proud of our WCCTEC SkillsUSA officers for representing our school, stepping up as leaders, and taking advantage of opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. Leadership starts with stepping up, getting involved, and making a difference! ❤️🤍 #WCCTEC #SkillsUSA #StudentLeaders #BuildingTomorrowToday

What’s sweeter than mastering proper drafting lettering? 🍪 Mrs. Smith’s Drafting I/Technical Drawing students learned why clear lettering matters: dimensions and specifications must be legible for a working drawing to be complete. After practicing ASME-recommended single-stroke Gothic lettering, they applied their skills to alphabet cookies with chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry icing. It was our favorite assignment of the chapter! Which icing would you pick?

❤️🤍 WCCTEC COAT DRIVE — HELP KEEP OUR STUDENTS WARM! 🤍❤️ As the temperatures drop, we’re collecting warm, comfortable clothing for our high school students! 🧥 Hoodies 🩶 Fleece 🧥 Jackets 🧤 Gloves 🧣 Scarves 🧢 Warm hats Every donation makes a difference! Help us make sure our students have warm layers to stay comfortable throughout the colder months. 📍 Drop off donations at the WCCTEC Counseling Office: 255 Stanley Street Abingdon, VA 24210 Thank you for supporting our WCCTEC students and helping us keep our school community warm! ❤️ #WCCTEC #CoatDrive #StudentsHelpingStudents #CommunityCares

Ms. Litton's Early Childhood Education students showed up ready with flashlights in hand and favorite books to share with Mrs. Hockett's three year old class. We dimmed the lights, clicked on our flashlights, and cozied up for a special reading moment together. ✨ Watching our youngest learners light up the pages (and their faces!) was a reminder that a love of reading starts early. We can't wait for the next one! #FlashlightFriday #EarlyChildhoodEducation #EarlyLiteracy #LoveOfReading #PreK

Join WCCTEC on October 17, at 10 AM This is a fundraiser for SkillsUSA

🧦💙 HOSA SOCKED IT TO CANCER! 💙🧦 Our WCCTEC HOSA students have been busy collecting new, colorful, fun, and silly socks to help brighten the days of children receiving cancer treatment. 🌟 We are excited to share that our collection is ready to be donated to Tanner’s Team! 💛 Every pair represents a little extra comfort, a little more joy, and a reminder to these children that their community is cheering them on. 💙 Bright Socks. Brighter Smiles. One Pair at a Time. 🧦✨ A HUGE thank-you to everyone who donated and helped our HOSA students make a difference! 💙 #WCCTEC #HOSA #SockItToCancer #TannersTeam #BrightSocksBrighterSmiles #OnePairAtATime #HOSAInAction

🚨 Criminal Justice students took center stage during hands-on training! 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️ Our students explored the Use of Force Continuum, practiced delivering clear and effective verbal commands, and worked through the decision-making process officers use when faced with challenging situations. This hands-on experience helps students build confidence, communication skills, critical thinking, and a better understanding of the responsibilities that come with a career in Criminal Justice. Real skills. Real scenarios. Real learning. 💪🎓

🚧 Dig Safe! 811 Before You Dig 🚧 Our Heavy Equipment students had the opportunity to learn from Atmos Energy about the importance of 811 Before You Dig! Students learned how calling 811 before beginning any digging or excavation project can help identify underground utility lines and prevent dangerous—and potentially costly—accidents. For future heavy equipment operators, understanding utility safety is an essential part of working responsibly and safely on the job site. 👷‍♂️👷‍♀️ A big THANK YOU to Atmos Energy for taking the time to educate our students and help prepare them for successful careers in the industry! Call 811. Dig Safe. Work Smart. 🦺

📚🛠️ Exploring New Possibilities at WCCTEC

The work is getting underway on an innovative programming model being explored for the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center!

A workgroup met this morning to begin planning and exploring what it could look like to integrate government, English and mathematics instruction with career and technical education at WCCTEC. The goal is to create a more connected learning experience where students can spend their full school day at WCCTEC while applying academic concepts to the career-focused work happening around them.

This planning is supported by an Innovation Grant awarded to Washington County Public Schools.

⚖️ Learning Beyond the Classroom! Today, September 8th, Washington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Josh Cumbow spoke with our Criminal Justice students about the important work of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Cumbow shared his personal experiences as both a prosecutor and a former defense attorney, giving our students a unique and insightful perspective on the criminal justice system and the court process. We are grateful for the time he spent with our students and for sharing his knowledge and real-world experience! Thank you, Mr. Cumbow, for an informative and engaging presentation! 👏⚖️

🪚✨ Look at this beauty! ✨🪚 Gene Greer’s Carpentry Department has been hard at work creating this incredible piece for the Kirk Edward Narin Memorial Scholarship Foundation Silent Auction! ❤️ We are so proud of the craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication our students and instructors put into projects like this. What a beautiful way to support a wonderful cause while showcasing the skills of our talented CTE students! 👏🔨 Be sure to check it out at the Silent Auction and help support scholarships in memory of Kirk Edward Narin! 💙 #WCCTEC #Carpentry #CTE

After exploring play stations and learning about the different types of play, our ECE students had the chance to be kids again! 🎨☀️ Through chalk creations and playful exploration, we saw examples of cooperative play, solitary play, and onlooker play in action. In Early Childhood Education, we are always learning—but sometimes the best way to understand how children learn is to remember how we learned ourselves. 💕🖍️ #EarlyChildhoodEducation #LearningThroughPlay #ECE #PlayBasedLearning #FutureEducators

On Friday, Drafting students put their teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test with a Team Puzzle Challenge! Working in teams, students tackled mystery 300-piece puzzles—with no picture to guide them! Just when they were getting comfortable, team members rotated to new groups, worked with new people, and picked up where someone else had left off. Finally, they were given the puzzle picture and challenged to see how much they could accomplish with a clear goal in sight. The real lesson wasn’t about completing the puzzle—it was about adaptability, communication, collaboration, and perseverance. In the workplace, we may not always know what the finished product will look like, who we’ll be working with, or where someone else left off. But when we communicate, support one another, and keep working toward the goal, we can accomplish amazing things—even when the pieces don’t seem to fit at first! #Teamwork #ProblemSolving #Collaboration #WorkplaceReadiness #CTE #CareerReady #Perseverance

🍎 Welcome, 2026-2027 Student School Board Representatives

We had the pleasure of welcoming our new Student School Board Representatives this afternoon with a luncheon as they prepare to serve as student voices on the Washington County School Board during the 2026-2027 school year!

Please join us in welcoming:
*Abingdon High School: Caden Singleton
*John S. Battle High School: T.J. Bishop
*Patrick Henry High School: Zen Moser
*Holston High School: Payton Long
*Washington County Career & Technical Education Center: Zayne Bolen

We are excited to have these five students representing their schools and fellow students throughout the coming school year. We look forward to hearing their perspectives, ideas, and experiences as we continue working together to make WCPS the best it can be for all students.

🔧☀️ Students are exploring future careers and discovering new interests this summer at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center’s Exploring Pathways Summer Camp!

Designed for students entering grades 5-8, the camp gives students the opportunity to experience hands-on learning activities in a variety of Career & Technical Education programs. From welding and carpentry to cosmetology, culinary arts, healthcare, engineering, criminal justice, advertising design, and more, students are learning new skills while exploring exciting career pathways.

Throughout the week, campers have been building projects, creating designs, experimenting with new technologies, and gaining real-world experiences alongside WCCTEC instructors and staff.

Programs featured during camp include:
*The Wonders of Hair Color with Cosmetology
*Build a Future with Carpentry
*Forensic Fun with Criminal Justice
*EcoEnergy Explorers
*Exploring Outdoor Careers & More
*Put a Spin on Learning with Auto Body
*Imagineering with Engineering
*Stir Up Some Fun with Culinary
*Careers in Nursing with LPN
*Spark Some Learning with Welding
*Healthcare Heroes with Nurse Aide
*Ad-Venture Design with Advertising Design
*Go, Go, Go TECH!

Thank you to the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center staff for creating engaging opportunities that help students explore their interests and future possibilities through hands-on learning experiences!

On Monday, April 27, Drafting Instructor Mrs. Laura Smith and three Drafting Architecture students, Cassidy H., Tytus M., and Henry S., traveled to Damascus Middle School as guests for the Career Cafe series. They talked with Damascus Middle School students about their own work in the classroom at the Career & Technical Center and the many career paths available in this field. This experience highlights the opportunities that the Washington County Career & Technical Center provides for students in our division!

🎓 Congratulations to the 2026 graduates of the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center! Tonight, we celebrated a remarkable group of students who have dedicated themselves to developing valuable career, technical, and workforce skills that will serve them well in the future. Through hands-on learning, industry certifications, and real-world experiences, these students have prepared themselves for success in college, careers, and beyond. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, determination, and accomplishments, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in our communities and workforce.