The Carbon Career & Technical Institute recently held its annual Membership Induction and Installation Ceremony and Banquet for the National Technical Honor Society at the school campus in Jim Thorpe.

The NTHS is an honor society for outstanding career and technical students of workforce vocational education institutions in the United States that began in 1984 as the National Vocational-Technical Honor Society.

The students are a group of outstanding career and technical education students who have put forth tremendous effort and shown great aptitude in their chosen trade area.

Induction into the NTHS is one the highest accomplishments that can be bestowed on a career and technical education student.

At CCTI, the new inductees are: Carpentry — Chloe Klotz, Palmerton Area School District; Drafting Design Technology — Adam Gardiner and Edison Mitchell, both Panther Valley School District, Calli Peiffer, Lehighton Area School District, and Gavin Smale, Palmerton Area; Electrical Distribution & Automation — Owen Rakos, Palmerton Area; Health Medical Assistant — Saleena Hollis, Palmerton Area; Digital Marketing — Grace Politi, Panther Valley; Welding — Frankie Claypoole, Lehighton Area, and Kylee Fischi, Jim Thorpe Area School District.

The second year members are: Marissa Blasko, Graphic Design, Panther Valley; Noah Bryfogle, Engineering Technology, Palmerton Area; Lily Dickson, Carpentry, Palmerton Area; Samantha Muthard, Graphic Design, Palmerton Area; and Isabel Wentz, Graphic Design, Lehighton Area.

Having served over 1 million members since its founding in 1984, the National Technical Honor Society was created to bring honor and recognition to career and technical education, one of the most critical segments of education.

From celebrating these students to awarding nearly $300,000 in scholarships each year, the society believes in empowering and supporting students in their quest to master a skill and embark on a career that they love.

The mission of the NTHS is to honor student achievement and leadership; promote educational excellence; and enhance career opportunities for the NTHS membership.

Its purpose is to encourage and assist technical students in their pursuit of educational and career goals and to develop a greater awareness within America’s business, industry and service communities.

Society members at CCTI serve the community throughout the school year with projects such as sending holiday cards to local nursing home residents; holding a Veterans Day assembly at the school campus; collecting Toys for Tots, with over 475 toys collected for Christmas; visiting Heritage Hill Senior Living Center, Weatherly, and presenting residents with snacks and blankets; and supporting the American Cancer Society telethon, where they will be making a donation to the ACS.

The main speaker at the induction ceremony at CCTI was John T. Yudichak, president of Luzerne County Community College and a former state lawmaker who represented northeastern Pennsylvania.

After the Induction and Installation Ceremony, members of the NTHS, family, friends and school officials enjoyed a banquet prepared by the school’s Culinary Arts Department under the direction of instructor Ashleigh Rehrig.

Sue Ann Gerhard is the NTHS adviser.