DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)– One of the largest renovation projects is coming to a close in Englewood. Students and staff at Miami Valley Career Technology Center say it’s a bittersweet journey, hoping to leave a legacy of a lifetime for future CTC students.

“Seeing it go from paper all the way up to now buildings we’re in is amazing,” said MVCTC Superintendent Dr. Nick Weldy. “It’s priceless, you can’t really say one way or another how that feels, you know you made a difference and in education you want to make a difference.”

The Miami Valley Career Technology Center will soon reach 580,000 square feet with 43 different programs for students, creating opportunities unlike ever before.

“We started the expansion projects because we were turning away students, we didn’t have the space to accept everyone who was interested,” said Dr. Weldy. “Now we’ve expanded those opportunities to so many more students.”

Feeling prepared and ready for life after school, that’s the case for Sports Medicine Senior Alexia Morgan.

“I feel pretty prepared because I’m taking all college classes this year and then after I graduate I can focus on what I want to do,” said Morgan. “I’m already prepared for college and ready to start it.”

Class President and BPA State Officer for Ohio Mia Pierce says MVCTC is a legacy passed down through her family and, for a good reason.

“All three of my older siblings came through CTC and I saw how well it prepared them,” said Pierce. “Here you get so involved, the teachers are so understanding and willing to work with you.”

The new expansion also brings their teachers right to you. MVCTC currently offers 35 satellite programs at 19 of their 27 partner school districts in five counties, including a new satellite expansion in Montgomery county.

“We just opened up a facility with Huber Heights City Schools and they got a new programs there this year so students don’t even have to leave campus,” said Dr. Weldy. “They have welding, HVAC, construction or carpentry at their fingertips without having to leave their school.”

For Senior mMackenzea Townsend, she says the culture at MVCTC is what made her time in high school unforgettable.

“Most of the people in my lab except for one person, I had no idea who they were until we got here and now I can tell them they’re all my friends, all amazing people and all mean alot to me,” said Townsend.

As a parent of two, Superintendent Dr. Weldy says it was a no brainer for his kids to attend Miami Valley Career Technology Center.

“It’s risk free, its a value add, your student can still get that college education if they want to go on and take college classes, then come get technical certifications, industry credentials and go on and do whatever they want,” said Dr. Weldy. “There’s no risk to that.”

MVCTC is in its last leg of construction before the expansion is complete, a decision that families believe will have a lasting impact.

In the end, it’s the students who come out ahead and maybe not these students, maybe their children or even their grandchildren will benefit from this facility,” said Dr. Weldy.

The Huber Heights expansion includes a Career Exploration program at Weisenborn Junior High for students in grades 7-8, and a new Career-Technical Center at Wayne High School offering classes in construction, trade, HVAC, and welding for students in 9-12 grade. In partnership with Wayne High School, Agricultural Education and Interactive Multimedia will also be offered for grades 9-12.

However, that’s not the only expansion in Montgomery County. MVCTC opened new satellite programs in partnership with Miamisburg City Schools and Northridge Schools! Miamisburg is now offering Agricultural Education programs for students in grades 9-12 and Northridge is offering Health Careers programs for grades 9-12.

Additionally, three new career-technical programs are being offered for the 2023-2-24 school year:

  • Pre-Engineering will allow students to discover the diverse areas of engineering and careers related.
  • Drones & GIS Technology will allow students to gain knowledge and skills in the emerging UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) and the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Fields.
  • Pre-Law & Legal Studies will teach students about representing clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, assisting lawyers, and preparing legal documents

MVCTC is having a Sophomore Open House on Thursday November 30th from 4:30 to 7:00! The Open House is when registration for the 2024-2025 school year will open. For more information on their programs that your junior or senior student can enroll in, click here.

***This segment was sponsored by the Miami Valley Career Technology Center***