Photo submitted to Times Observer Warren County Career Center Precision Machine Technology Instructor Colton Black (left) and senior Machine Technology student Hunter Gourley show some of the tooling purchased with over $4,000 in PARSS grant funds.

BRIAN FERRY

bferry@timesobserver.com

A grant will help familiarize a group of Warren County students with the equipment used in their field of study.

“The Warren County Career Center(WCCC)Machine Technology Program of Study has received a $4,456 grant through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS),” according to a release from Coordinator of Grant and Foundation Development Matt Jones. “Grant funds will be used to purchase tooling and other equipment to support the CNC machinery used in student instruction.”

“We have some great CNC machinery in our class,” Machine Technology Instructor Colton Black said. “We can always use tools, tool holders and equipment for our CNC machines, which are key pieces in our ability to provide the students the best education possible.”

“Having access to current tooling and equipment used in the industry today is one of the best ways to prepare our students for graduation and the start their individual careers,” Black said.

“The Machine Technology Program was instrumental to my career path and brought me back to the Career Center. I appreciate any opportunity to better guide the students as they explore the different career paths open to them.”

“Mr. Black’s energy and commitment to the Machine Technology Program and its students is greatly appreciated,” Principal Jim Evers said. “We’re happy to have him here, as are his students, and I look forward to supporting him as he improves and grows the program.”

PARSS is an advocacy and service organization dedicated to ensuring that the Commonwealth’s rural school students have access to a quality education, Jones said. The PARSS grants were funded through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Cabot Oil & Gas Company, which has provided approximately $50,000 over the past three years to support rural school districts. PARSS has, over the past several years, served as a conduit for over $80,000 in grant funding and continues to look for resources that may benefit small and rural school districts in Pennsylvania.