Jace Story is in his fourth year of study in the carpentry program at the Marshall County Technical Center, but he hopes to gain a career in equipment operations after he graduates.
The Marshall County High School senior is this week’s Associated General Contractors of Western Kentucky Technical Center Student of the Week.
Story said he got into carpentry at the technical center because he thought it would be a useful skill, whether or not it would become a career choice.
“I figured, in life, that everything that I would do, that is what I would use the most,” he said. “Everybody’s going to build a house one day, or build something like that, so I figured (carpentry) would be the one thing I would need to know.
“I like doing woodworking stuff; I like building stuff like that, and I ended up really liking it.”
After graduating, Story wants to join an equipment operator’s union.
“I’ve always liked running equipment,” he said. “I’ve grown up on tractors and things like that, and now, at DC Electric (where he works in Benton), I work on aspirators and things like that. I just like running equipment.
“I thought (that carpentry would turn into a career option) at the beginning. It’s not that I didn’t like it. I just liked running equipment more.”
Story is a member of the MCHS trap and skeet shooting team, where he has competed since sixth grade. Two years ago, he won the state championship among junior shooters and finished in third place last year.
“I’m a big hunter,” he said. “At first, I didn’t want to do it, competition-wise. I just wanted to get practice for hunting, and I ended up really liking it.”
Story has been on the honor roll throughout his high school years.
“My dad has always said I better have an A or a B,” he said. “I definitely try for that; I don’t just halfway do it. I’ve always wanted to have good grades. I didn’t want to go to work somewhere and have them not want me because of poor choices I made because of laziness. I think that everybody can do well in school, so I just try my best.”
In his spare time, Story enjoys hunting and fishing as well as working cattle at his family’s Story Cattle Farms.
“That’s my two main hobbies: I love hunting, and I love cows,” he said.
Story said that five years from now, he would like to have a full-time job.
“Hopefully, I’m going to be there for the rest of my life,” he said, adding that he would like to work in this area. “I would like to have my own farm, too, eventually, and hopefully, have a house in five years and start to build a life.
“The main thing right now is to be focused on getting a good job and trying to get where I want: Good pay and good benefits and get started — and maybe work cows on the side.”
Story is the son of Jason Story of Benton and Karrie Trevathan of Benton.
A story featuring the AGC of Western Kentucky Technical Center Student of the Week will run in The Paducah Sun each Friday through March 31 with recipients chosen by instructors and administrators at the seven area technical centers that serve students in the state’s 13 westernmost counties.
In addition to the Marshall County Technical Center, the 29 AGC of Western Kentucky Technical Center Students of the Week are chosen from the Ballard County Career and Technical Center, Caldwell Regional Career Center, Four Rivers Career Academy in Fulton County, Mayfield-Graves County Area Technology Center, Murray-Calloway County Area Technology Center and Paducah Area Technical Center.
The Marshall County Technical Center serves students from Marshall County High School.
Along with carpentry, the area technology center offers courses in animal science, biomedical technology, collision repair (auto body), computer science, early childhood development, electrical assistant, electrocardiogram technician, family consumer science, horticulture, medical administrative assistant, network administration, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, pre-nursing, web page design and welding.
AGC of Western Kentucky will host a banquet in April for this year’s 29 Technical Center Students of the Week. Students will receive prizes, and Technical Center Students of the Year and an overall Regional Technical Center Student of the Year will be announced.
At the area technical centers, students are learning skills in many career areas that will help them join the workforce upon graduation and help fill the need for skilled workers in western Kentucky.
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