I Greenwood

Senior Speech 

Today, I want to take a moment to share my journey through the Lewiston Regional Technical Center, or LRTC, and how it has not only inspired me, but supported me throughout my last two years of high school.  

At the end of my sophomore year, I applied for LRTC, not fully understanding what it was all about. At Lrtc there are so many opportunities for highschoolers to find out what they might want to do after high school. My sophomore year I applied for Electrical and Carpentry, but the one I was accepted into was Carpentry. In the mornings; before we start out in the shop, we usually stay in the classroom for an hour or two, dedicating our time to bookwork. The bookwork is easy if you’re following along with the instructor, a lot like life, if you’re paying attention and following directions at work.

My Freshman year I wasn’t sure what LRTC really was or if it was something I would be interested in. My older brother attended the plumbing program there, but that’s all I really knew. He told me some things like how he was meeting new people from different schools. Even though I didn’t wanna do plumbing, I became intrigued with the little things he did and the projects that he brought home once in a while interested me. During our Freshman year we’re not exactly thinking about what we’re doing junior year, we’re just focused on how to get through highschool. I learned my freshman and sophomore year that traditional school wasn’t for me and that’s when I decided to sign up for the LRTC program. I spent some time walking through the LRTC buildings before I actually applied. I walked through the carpentry and electrical program to compare one from the other, in hopes one would appear more enticing to me. This was hard to decide since both programs offered so much and seemed really interesting. Right after the tour we had a three month window to weigh our options and decide on which one would be more appropriate for me. I ended up applying for both of them the same night, taking in consideration that both of them would be a two year commitment. A large part  of your grade is attendance so making sure to be there everyday should be everyone’s primary goal.

My Junior year of LRTC was an introduction to what we will be doing our senior year, giving me a lot to look forward to. Joining LRTC allowed me to meet a bunch of people from surrounding schools, and made a lot of new friends with similar interests.  The LRTC community felt more like a family compared to other highschool classes. Our first lessons focused on learning about tools and safety, which is very important  in any field. We even built a small woodworking project, allowing us to get hands-on experience right away while becoming familiar with the tools in the program. 

One of the highlights of that year was working towards our OSHA 10 card, which is a valuable certification in workplace safety. It was just before we got our cards we started building a 10×16 shed inside the shop from the ground up. This project taught us so much, including the most important lesson of all: mistakes are part of the learning process. Mistakes are  not a big deal; you just have to work through it to get better. 

As I transitioned into my senior year at LRTC, the classroom felt different, we were no longer strangers; they were your boys. We returned to finish the sheds we had started in junior year, but this time, we had a deeper understanding of what was required to be considered carpenters. Senior year introduced us to more complex tasks, like learning how to do finishes on homes, making them livable.

What I appreciate most about LRTC was the sense of accomplishment I felt for all  our hard work. We were not just students; we were being prepared for the world, with the opportunity to earn certifications that could set us apart in the job market.

 In conclusion, my journey through LRTC has been an amazing experience, filled with valuable lessons, friendships, and practical knowledge. As I stand before you today, I am grateful for the guidance I received from instructors and peers, and I look forward to applying everything I’ve learned in my future.

“Carpentry Workshop” by mikecogh is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.