By Martha Jacob

Two Student Ambassa-dors of Southern Hills Career and Technical Center spoke briefly at the April 21 Brown County Chamber of Commerce meeting about their experiences at the center.
Junior Levi Unger is enrolled in the construction technology program and junior Dylan Phillips is enrolled in the welding program at the school.  Both are SHCTC Ambassadors.
Southern Hills Principal Guy Hopkins introduced the two young men who proceeded to talk about their experiences.
“As an ambassador for Southern Hills, I go into area schools and talk to younger students,” Unger said. “My responsibility is to try and help these kids start thinking about their education and where they’re going after high school.”
Unger said he explains all the benefits of attending Southern Hills. He tells the students that earning a diploma is a great thing and everyone needs one, but employers look at applications differently when it’s accompanied by a tech certificate.
“With a Tech Certi-fication from Southern Hills, It’s going to get you to the next step of a job, a lot quicker,” Unger said.
“I am in the Construc-tion Technology program and I’m learning about framing, fork-lift operation and metal work. The field of construction is still a much needed industry.”
Dylan Phillips is enrolled in the Welding Technology program at SHCTC.
“I will leave Southern Hills with my Welding Certification,” Phillips said. “There are a lot of different areas of welding and next year I hope to get certified in 2 inch piping up to 6 inch piping.
“Our class just finished building a 14 foot metal trailer and now we’re working on building a 28 foot enclosed trailer to carry heavy equipment in.”
Phillips said he feels that he has chosen a great career in welding and that there will always be a need for good welders and pipe fitters.”
Principal Hopkins told those in attendance that he had 176 students who would be receiving their tech certificates on May 19, 2016.
“Most of these 176 students will also be receiving their high school diploma,” Hopkins said. “That is definitely our goal here at Southern Hills, to present a diploma and a certificate.
“Next year, the class of 2017, will be a class of 224 students. In 2018 the class size is already 224, but will probably grow much higher by 2018.”
Hopkins said growing the way the classes are is a nice problem for the school to have.
“We have tremendous students here at Southern Hills, and a tremendous staff,” Hopkins said, “I guess Mr. Kratzer can no longer say that ‘Southern Hills Career and Technical Center is the best kept secret in Brown County’. The secret is out!”