GREENVILLE — Nathan Sharp has been teaching 14 years. Currently, he’s the CIS Tech Crew Program instructor at Greenville High School (GHS) Career Technical Center (CTC).
“I learn something from my students everyday,” he said. “It keeps me feeling younger working with them.”
During the September 21 Greenville City School District (GCSD) Board of Education meeting, the district highlighted Sharp for being selected by Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) to participate in the Capital Conference this fall. The OSBA Capital Conference and Trade Show is Ohio’s premier continuing education program — delivering practical solutions to help school district governance teams improve student learning and achievement, according to the OSBA. The CIS Tech Crew Program and Sharp will be honored during the Southwest Region Annual Fall Meeting October 12.
“The District is proud of your accomplishment and your dedication to your career paths,” GCSD Superintendent Doug Fries said.
Sharp said Information Technology is really changing.
“You really have to be on top of it and these people are,” Sharp said of his senior class. “There are some really sharp young people here; they are all capable.”
One of those people is senior student Hunter Bradburn. He said something that made their program stand out was the relocating and updating of the computers and other technology, from the old schools, to the new K-8 facility last year over Christmas break. The students also updated the teachers’ computers at the high school, and taught students how to use the new email system.
“That was probably one of the biggest projects we ever did in this program,” Bradburn said. “We basically had a deadline from when Christmas break started, to when the kids returned to school. It was a little chaotic, running back and forth with the new school being so big, and with all of the construction going on. We had to work our way around where the construction workers were, in order to set up a lab. If we didn’t get it done, it would have been chaotic when school started again.”
Sharp also attributes the state recognition of the program to the fact that some of the students are employed. They program has received state recognition in the past, he said.
“About five years ago, the school board approved to have our kids work,” he said. “They get paid hourly and can only work 10 hours a week during the school week – two hours a night, and 30 hours in the summer. We were the first school to have our kids work for the school district like that. Other districts are starting to do the same thing with their IT programs.”
Senior student Cassie Profitt said she has always had a passion for technology. She enjoys computer programming and computer repair, she said.
“I decided it would be best to go into this type of field,” she said. “I learned a lot. I want to work with my Uncle on the computers he works with. Anything I learn here, will go straight to there.”
Other students from Sharp’s class have made careers for themselves in the IT industry.
“I have had some really outstanding students who have made it,” Sharp said. “I have a couple that are working in programming making almost $100,000 a year, and they are 20 years old. It is nice seeing some of my kids go some place and make a life for themselves.”
In addition, Sharp said his current students have some really bright futures ahead of them.
“I will miss these guys next year,” Sharp said. “I can rely on them to help each other, or if I need something they know what to do. They have great team work skills, have learned a lot of good soft and business skills and are a good group working together.”
