WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
Mount Vernon, OH- The Knox County Career Center Building Trades program
recognized ten students who earned the status of “Building Trades Elite.”
“Building Trades Elite” (BT Elite) is a program generated by Colby Clippinger, former
KCCC Building Trades instructor, and the KCCC Building Trades Advisory Council that began in
2019-2020. Joe Stallard, KCCC’s new Building Trades instructor, will continue the BT Elite
program. The program’s criteria centers around attendance, discipline, industry credentialing,
and extracurricular activities. A point system is set up where students earn points for
attendance, grades, industry credentialing, and extracurricular activities. Students can lose
points for being tardy, absent, and for discipline issues. In order to earn “BT Elite” status,
students must earn 250 points and must maintain 250 points or higher until graduation to keep
the “BT Elite” status.
The “BT Elite” program is completely company-sponsored. Students who earn “BT Elite”
status are awarded a hoodie and an interview shirt. The companies pay for the hoodies and
interview shirts. The hoodie has the Building Trades Elite crest on the back along with the
company sponsors. The student’s name and “BT Elite” are on the front of the hoodie. The
interview shirt has “BT Elite” and the student’s name on the front.
Clippinger and Stallard commented, “We appreciate the companies who have partnered
with us on the “BT Elite” program.
Students (pictured L to R) Preston Nyhart, Ethan Hull, Sylas Lamneck, Carson Penney,
Porter Nyhart, Galen Ruprecht, Brianna Goodman, Truman Chester, Madysen Cochrun, and
Gage Cook all earned BT Elite at the end of the conclusion of the fourth quarter last school year.
Seventy-two students from the Building Trades program have now earned “BT Elite” status
since its inception.
Stallard added, “We look forward to continuing the BT Elite program here at KCCC. The
BT Elite program gives students something to strive for each day. Our industry partners will
continue to benefit from hiring a well-rounded and industry-prepared student.”
KCCC & the Building Trades program would like to thank the companies who sponsor
“BT Elite”. Thank you to J & B Acoustical, Ohio Contractors Association, ProTech Basement
Solutions, LiUNA! Local 1216, Kokosing, Corna Kokosing, Brennstuhl Construction, Modern
Builders, Gray Mechanical, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local
735, Holmes Rental & Sales, Meade Roofing Services, Small’s Sand & Gravel, Ellis Brothers,
Igel, Ruhlin, Knox Concrete, ACP, Mack Industries, and Rietschlin Construction for partnering
with us!