Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
Jordon Arellano, 17, always had a passing interest in cars, but after going through the automotive technology program at Carson High School, he thinks he may have found his future career.
"It just made me want to pursue it," he said. "It's something I like to do, and if you can make a career out of it, you should."
He has been accepted to the Universal Technical Institute in Sacramento and plans to attend after graduation.
Arellano shared his successes with fellow students Thursday as part of the school's annual Career Arts and Technical Fair.
Upperclass students from a variety of classes, ranging from art and computer design to drama, welding and culinary arts, displayed their work and shared stories with underclassmen as part of the fair.
Freshman Leah Walden, 14, who is taking first-year art and is considering taking more, admired the work of advanced art students.
"They're really spectacular," she said. "You learn in math and science classes, but in art you do whatever you want. It helps us express ourselves."
Computer teacher Sherri Kelley, who has led her SkillsUSA team to two consecutive gold medals in Web design, said it is important to give students options.
"Not every student is your basic math, science, college-bound student," she said. "Especially in these times when not everyone can afford to go to college, with the skills these students learn they can go out and get a job right after high school.
"If they do want to go to college, they'll have a good base, and they're already ahead of their classmates."
The Carson City School Board is considering seeking a bond in next year's election to expand the vocational and performing arts at the high school. The proposal would result in building a performing arts center and increasing space and options in the other programs at the high school.
"I think that would be really great," said drama student Jamie Snoddy, 18. "We have to borrow either the Brewery Arts Center or the Community Center, and it can be so hard. It's nice of them to let us do that, but it would be so much better if we had our own center."
Aaron Molter, 18, who also will be attending the Universal Technical Institute in automotive technology, said additional space in the auto classes would be beneficial.
"It would help because you can't take many cars in the shop now," he said.
Kelley said having technical classes available makes for better students.
"If these classes weren't here, some of these students wouldn't be here," she said. "This gives them the motivation to stay in school."
- Contact reporter Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1272.