Gibson Technical Center Newsletter
December 2023
Note from the Director's Desk
On behalf of everyone here at Gibson Technical Center, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I can’t believe we’re getting ready to dismiss for Christmas break. While the time has flown by quickly, it's obvious our students and staff have made the most of this semester as I continue to be impressed by the skills and knowledge the students gained in the first semester. It won’t be long after the new year until we’ll get a chance to see our students showcase those skills at SkillsUSA and HOSA competitions.
The Christmas season is bringing out the “kid” in all of our program instructors as we’re reaching the construction phase in which they are making their lists of new equipment for Table Rock Career Center. Progress is still moving along well, and you can really see the building taking shape. It’s hard to believe that our big moving day is getting so close.
Mr. Brian Moler
Director- Gibson Tech
GTC December Morning Professional of the Month
A shout-out to Branson High School junior Rhianna Stewart for being recognized as the GTC December Professional of the Month from our morning block. Rhianna loves working on cars and this passion for the automotive industry was sparked by members of her family who have passed their love of this high-demand industry to her from a very young age. She takes great pride in her work in the Collision Repair program and always exceeds expectations in the shop. Rhianna appreciates how Mr. Stober is providing her an opportunity to showcase what she is learning in the classroom into hands-on experiences she needs when she pursues a career in the automotive industry.
Thanks to Tracy Carver-American Family Insurance Agency for her continued support of our GTC Professionals of the Month!
GTC December Afternoon Professional of the Month
Congratulations to Reeds Spring High School Senior Logan Noriega for being named the December GTC Professional of the Month from the afternoon block. Logan has demonstrated great leadership and a great work ethic in the Collision Repair program which has helped him standout amongst his peers. He gets great satisfaction in working on customer vehicles that are damaged when they enter the shop and the role he plays in making them new again. He is currently gaining industry experience as the lot manager at Hughes Marine in Branson. He is looking forward to a career in the fiberglass industry upon graduation.
Thanks to Tracy Carver-American Family Insurance Agency for her continued support of our GTC Professionals of the Month!
GTC November Staff Members of the Month
Congratulations to our Welding Instructor Jordan Lewallen for being named the November GTC Teacher of the Month. A parent had this to say about Mr. Lewallen’s positive influence, “Before my son started the Welding Program at Gibson Tech, he hated school. Mr. Lewallen has taught him a trade and life skills that he can use the rest of his life. Mr. Lewallen also teaches the students how the real world will treat them and he doesn’t set them up for failure by sugar coating everything. I give all the credit to Mr. Lewallen for being a great teacher and role model for my son."
Our Employee of the Month is one of teacher assistants, Keith McDannold. A member of the GTC staff had this to say about how much he is appreciated, “Mr. McDannold goes above and beyond in his role in the classroom and as the SkillsUSA lead advisor. He handles all of the administrative tasks for nearly 140 students and organizes impactful service projects and contests to help prepare our students for their future careers."
Spotlight on Computer Technology
In Computer Technology students have been hard at work on the following different TestOut online curriculums: PC Pro, IT Pro, and Cybersecurity. Year one students have been learning about the different parts of a computer and how each component works with the others. The students have made clones of drives using Clonezilla for emergency system recovery. They have also installed and learned the inner functions of the following mainstream popular operating systems: Linux, Mac, and Windows 10/11.
The IT students just finished installing Wireless Access Points (WAP) in the tech center to help ease the workload of the district’s IT department. The students also finished a wiring project in the Computer Technology classroom. The Cyber Defense class has been working hard on learning all the different ways to protect networks and using new state-of-the-art security equipment.
Currently, all sections have been busy repairing broken or damaged Chromebooks for Reeds Spring Middle School. Everyone involved is very excited about this opportunity for our students to observe the positive impact they are having in meeting the technology needs of students in the middle school.
Bradleyville Sophomores Tour GTC
What a great visit from our friends from Bradleyville on October 18. It's great how these students are weighing their options for the future. We look forward to watching these students walk through the doors of the new Table Rock Career Center in the fall.
RS Works December Intern Showcase
Reese Hejlek
Dental Assistant Intern
Reese, a senior at Reeds Spring High School, is completing her internship at The Smile Zone in Springfield. Reese exclaims "I LOVE my internship. I have learned so much about little kids and how they process different things in regards to dental health. This internship has deepened my desire to serve others. I love helping people love their smile! Everyone smiles and it’s even better if they love it! My internship has shown me that everyday can be different and you always have to be adaptable!"
RS Works December Intern Showcase
Dusty Rader
Marine Service Technician Intern
Dusty, a senior at Reeds Spring High School and is currently completing his internship at Branson West Marine and Powersports. Dusty spent the past year in Mr. Chris Jenkins' Marine Technology class at GTC and is putting his classroom knowledge to work. Dusty shares, "I am learning how each department works together to better serve the customer. Each department has a job to do and not one person can do it all."
GTC Alumni Spotlight: JR Boulton
Gibson Technical Center is proud to feature 2001 Reeds Spring High School alum JR Boulton as our December Alumni Spotlight. JR was a three year student in the Printing/Graphic Design program where he was a member of SkillsUSA. As a member of SkillsUSA he attended leadership conferences and even qualified for the state SkillsUSA Layout/Design and printing press competitions.
JR has 20 years of experience working in the printing/graphic design industry working for the following companies: Litho Printers & Bindry, McCann Print Solutions, Four Bindery Print Group, and ColorGraphic Printing in Springfield where he currently works in the large format department as a graphics installer. JR appreciates working in this ever-changing industry where he is always learning something new.
Mr. Bob Bruffett, his GTC instructor, reflected on JR as a student, “He always had great attention to detail and was always willing to try new things. He never backed away from a challenge.” JR serves on the GTC printing/Graphic Design program advisory committee and this is a tribute to the impact Mr. Bruffett and GTC had on him during his high school years. JR strongly encourages students thinking about a career in graphic design to, “Never stop learning and never limit oneself to specific areas in this profession, because technology is always evolving in this high-demand industry.”
Chadwick High School Tours GTC
On November 1 we spent the morning visiting with sophomores from Chadwick High School as they toured our great programs of study. It was great discussing all of the great options offered to them as we transition to the new Table Rock Career Center next fall.
RS Works December Intern Showcase
William "Rocky" Reed
Teacher Intern
Rocky is a member of the Reeds Spring Wolf Pride Band and wanted to explore a career where he could put his musical talents to use. Rocky is completing his internship at Reeds Spring Middle School under the mentorship of the the district's band directors. "My internship experience has been delightful not only because it has shown me what it is like to work as an educator, but also what it is like to work on a schedule. It has been a very interesting experience and I have learned that students are all different. This internship has shown me many different areas of music education such as composing music, conducting music and teaching lessons."
RS Works December Intern Showcase
Ember Dawani
Legal Intern
Ember is a senior at Reeds Spring High School and is completing her internship with attorney, Andrea Pate, at the Law Office of the Ozarks! Ember shares, "I have really enjoyed my internship experience. It has given me more self-confidence and changed the way I see everyday problems. It has taught me to work hard for myself and for the people around me. As a legal intern the work you do can affect people's lives greatly, so you always have to make sure what you’re doing is correct and professional."
Staff Spotlight: Bob Bruffett
Gibson Technical Center is excited to spotlight our Printing/Graphic Design instructor Mr. Bob Bruffett. When Mr. Bruffett transitioned from working in the printing industry to a career in education in 1997, the Printing Technology program concentrated on the printing aspect of this industry. He has gone from teaching students how to typeset, burn plates, and run a printing press to learning how to use state of the art desktop publishing programs and printing on nontraditional materials like T-Shirts and graphics for cars and trucks.
Mr. Bruffett graduated from the College of the Ozarks with a degree in Graphic Design and gained valuable industry experience working for the following business: Midwest Laminating, Barry County Advisor, and Silver Dollar City. While at Silver Dollar City he was responsible for many of the jobs from the initial design of the printed material to the actual production of the materials. In other words, he was responsible for everything from start to finish.
He loves the autonomy he has been allowed to have as an instructor at GTC because he is treated as the expert in his program of study. After 26 years as a GTC Instructor he has embraced the idea of always working outside his comfort zone. By doing this he has always been able to keep up with the technological advances that are synonymous with this ever-changing industry. The Printing/ Graphic Design program is more than a class, it is a live lab with real customers. Over 400 customer projects roll through his shop during a typical school year. His favorite part of his time at GTC is watching students grow and flourish in a place that allows young people a clean slate when they walk through the doors of GTC to learn skills they will have for the rest of his/her life.
Crane Tours GTC
Forsyth Tours GTC
Galena Tours GTC
On November 15 Galena High School sent over a great group of sophomores to tour our great programs of study. Even better, this group of students will be some of the very first students to receive a quality Career and Technical Education at the new Table Rock Career Center next year.
SkillsUSA Continues to Promote Leadership
Fall is a very busy time of year for SkillsUSA. On Saturday, October 28 twenty-two members came out on a cold and rainy Saturday morning for a service project at the Tri-Lakes Humane Society in Reeds Spring. The members completed several tasks in the cat area, walked and bathed dogs.
Officers attended the SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference in Carthage, Missouri on Friday, November 4 with students from nine other tech centers in the Southwest Missouri District. All GTC students in attendance earned his/her SkillsUSA Statesman pins. These are awarded to members who have earned 100% on the SkillsUSA general knowledge verbal exam.
Twenty-eight members traveled to Convoy of Hope on Tuesday, November 8 and helped package over 71,000 bars of soap to be used in future disaster relief operations. SkillsUSA is committed to making sure the United States has a viable workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. An additional goal of our SkillsUSA chapter is to help students see the importance of being civic-minded adults.
Finally, on Saturday, November 19 SkillsUSA members from Blue Eye, Branson, Forsyth, Galena, and Reeds Spring completed a service project prepping materials to build 50 beds for the Table Rock Lake chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. This great organization is dedicated to building, assembling and delivering top-notch beds to children and families in need.
Focus on Welding
The Welding Program at Gibson Technical Center strives to open doors for students to work in the welding industry. Students in welding will learn the following welding processes in all positions: SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW. Other industry skills learned in this program of study include reading precise measurements, blueprint reading, oxy-fuel cutting, plasma-arc cutting, fit-up and pipe welding for advanced second year students. The following post-secondary Welding Institutions have or are on the schedule to visit GTC to help students realize their goals of working in the welding industry: APEX Welding Academy, Crowder College, Missouri Welding Institute, American Welding Academy, Arkansas Elite Welding Academy, and Grand River Welding Institute.
Students in this program of study have entered the program exploring what the welding industry is like to exiting the program in pursuit of a career in welding. Jake Toal from Reeds Spring shared the following about his experience in the welding program, “I know what I want to do for a career and this program has given me a way to achieve my dreams and ambitions in life. Welding has taught me many life lessons like patience, perseverance, taking pride in my work and learning failure is a necessary part of the learning process.”
Dalton Vasquez from Blue Eye High School is “Excited to put the skills learned in class to the test when I’m out of high school. When I entered the program, I liked to weld, but now, I love it.”
Cole Girard from Branson is “Excited to pursue a career in Welding because I want to enter a career I will enjoy the rest of my life.”
Madison Stanton from Reeds Spring High School appreciates how, “Welding is a skill that will always be in high demand. In the Welding Program I have learned when I make a mistake I am accountable for it. If I do not understand something it's okay to ask for help.”
Blue Eye Tours GTC
Taekwondo and Zumba Classes Offered in January
Hurley Tours GTC
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Works!
In 2022, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) released a compilation of statistics related to student involvement in career and technical education programs. Sources included the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education, and just some of the highlights include:
- 77% of employers from in-demand industries report hiring an employee because of knowledge and skills gained from their career and technical education experience.
- Despite millions of job openings around the country, 74% of employers report a persistent mismatch between the skills they need and the skills workers have.
- High school students in career and technical education programs are more likely to be employed full time and have higher median annual earnings 8 years after graduation.
- The average high school graduation rate for those involved in career and technical education programs is 94%, compared to the national rate of 85%.
Gibson Technical Center
Reeds Spring, Missouri 65737
Email: bmoler@wolves.k12.mo.us
Website: https://www.rs-wolves.com/o/gtc
Phone: (417) 272-3271
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gibsontechnicalcenter
Twitter: @gibson_tech