TSTC hosts Discovery Day for high school students

(WACO, Texas) – Hundreds of high school students from throughout Central Texas braved the rain to attend Texas State Technical College’s Discovery Day held Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Waco campus.

“It’s a day when students get to come out and look at what we have to offer,” said Curt Wade, lead instructor in the Electrical Power and Controls program.

Visitors saw equipment that the Diesel Equipment Technology students work on and also the baking process for oatmeal cookies in the Culinary Arts program. Jake Miedma, of Bastrop, a fourth-semester student in the Aircraft Pilot Training Technology program, gave the visitors indoor flight simulator demonstrations.

Wade told students about the curriculum and career options for Electrical Power and Controls graduates.

“You have to want to do it,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for them to be financially stable.”

Rapoport Academy Public School in Waco sent 18 juniors and seniors to the event.

“I just want them to see the different programs and give them the opportunity to be excited about something,” said Dustin Ward, the school’s work-based learning coordinator.

More than 90 Whitney High School seniors rode in school buses to the event. Jody Ferguson, the high school’s senior counselor, said some of her students are still undecided about their plans for after high school.

One of the Whitney High School seniors attending the event was Ethan Lerma. He said he enjoyed spending time at the Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center and seeing airplanes that students fly and work on. He said he is a hands-on learner.

“It’s good to see we have options after high school,” Lerma said.

Registration continues for the spring semester. For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.