President’s Message
Grace Decken, RN, NBCT
Health Science Instructor
Daniel Morgan Technology Center

WANTED:  THIRD CLASS TICKET HOLDERS

Have you noticed that there are not many new western theme series on TV?  I am not a big fan of these type of shows but I do know a lot can be learned from the rugged Wild West.  It also helps me appreciate the blessings of modern day amenities we have today.   Perhaps some of you are big Western Theme fans and can re-live some of those times.

For instance, we take for granted our modern day mode of transportation – the automobile! We can just get up and travel as we please with our vehicles whether it is to the grocery store, work or vacation.   Back in the old days, the main mode of transportation was the stage coach.   I have never ridden in one but had a photo taken standing on one wearing “antique regalia”!    In order to be able to ride, one had to purchase a ticket to their destination.  There were three types of ticket holders, first, second and third class.

If our modern day vehicles were to break down, we could just bring it to our local automobile repair shop but if you were riding on a stage coach that broke down, each of the ticket holders had a role in its repair.  The first class ticket holders got to stay in the stage coach away from the heat, cold, or rain, grime and dirt while it was being repaired.  The second class ticket holders had to get out of the stage coach to reduce the weight and stand on the side but were sheltered from the heat, cold or rain so repairs could be done and the third class ticket holders were the “workers” who had to do the repairs in the heat, cold or rain.   They were the ones who got sweaty, grimy and dirty but got the work done.

We are looking for workers to help build our organization and make it become the best it can be!  We need your help to promote career and technology education and build students up to become successful.  Our organization is the only one of its kind that supports and promotes career and technology education.   We need strength in numbers especially when we need to advocate for our jobs in the state and federal levels.    SC ACTE is YOUR VOICE. 

How many of you new or seasoned members are willing to upgrade your tickets to “third class" for South Carolina Association for Career and Technology Education? 

I challenge each of you to dare to be different than the world that have individuals only looking to go “first class”. 

I look forward to serving you this school year as your President and plan to get sweaty, grimy and dirty with my third class ticket as we get busy working to make SC ACTE the best stage coach ride you have ever taken!