Peacock honored for support of Career Day

Appalachian State University Chancellor Dr. Ken Peacock was honored last Tuesday by the Blowing Rock Rotary Club for his support of “Career Day” for eighth-grade students in the Watauga County schools.

Peacock approved the use of the Holmes Convocation Center at no charge for this event and received a plaque and heartfelt thanks for this generous action in support of Career Day.

In accepting the award, Peacock said that ASU is “everyone’s campus” and that he was pleased to support this event.

He also addressed Rotary members and guests about both the challenges ASU is currently facing and the tremendous value of its services to students, the community, and the state as a whole.

The chancellor mentioned the difficulty of the current budget situation, while expressing great confidence in the future of the university and citing its continued progress in many areas.

He praised the high caliber of students entering ASU and the personal quality of the education they receive there.

Watauga County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marty Hemric spoke to thank Peacock for supporting Career Day and for the many ways in which ASU acts in partnership with the schools.

Career Day gave 404 eighth-graders an up-close look at a wide range of careers through direct contact with professionals in many fields. The event helps students realize the range of career opportunities available, and informs them of the types of coursework and training needed to prepare for these opportunities.

This year’s Career Day included displays and presentations related to work in the fields of computer technology, automotive technology, family and consumer sciences, health occupations, construction technology, engineering and public services, including emergency services.

More than 25 career/technical education teachers and students worked to set up displays and make presentations about the many types of career training available at the high school. A total of nearly 65 other volunteers, including 20 Blowing Rock Rotary members, helped to put on Career Day by staffing the many work stations, directing students through the displays, and feeding the students lunch on site.

Career Day is coordinated and sponsored by the Blowing Rock Rotary Club and the Watauga County Schools.

Howard Williams, vocational services director for the Blowing Rock Rotary Club, was the lead person on the project for the Rotary Club, and middle school career/technical education teacher Larry Ball was the lead person for the Watauga County schools.

Williams and Ball agreed that Career Day was greatly enhanced this year through the use of the Convocation Center and expressed the hope that this arrangement might be continued in future years.