Governor meets Vantage’s ‘Ed Gee’

Vantage Career Center news

COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor John Kasich attended the 2013 Ohio ACTE Student Showcase on March 7 in the Statehouse Atrium.  He stopped at the Vantage display and spoke to several members of the “Ed Gee” project team.  Also stopping by were State Representatives Tony Burkley and Lynn Wachtmann, and Senator Cliff Hite.

Ed Gee is a metal sculpture the students designed and fabricated, to represent all 16 career technical programs Vantage has to offer high school students.  His permanent home will be in the large display case at the new student entrance.  Ed Gee was unveiled at the Vantage Grand Open House held this past February 25.  This project was selected as one of 30 projects to be on display at the Ohio Statehouse.

Seven members of the junior Industrial Mechanics class, and their teacher, Kevin Van Oss, had been working on the project with local artist (and Vantage alum) Connie Boley since early fall.

“Working on the Ed Gee project taught me responsibility, teamwork, and leadership,” said team leader Dominic Ardner of Delphos Jefferson. “We used everything that we learn in Industrial Mechanics to build Ed Gee — welding, electricity, milling, fabricating and even CAD with the new Torchmate.  It was pretty cool that the governor stopped at our display, too.”

“I watched these students become a cohesive unit throughout the Ed Gee project,” said Van Oss. “They had to work under a timeline and they met often to make sure they were on track.  These guys had to learn how to compromise and also be open to ideas from other team members.”

“We are very thankful for the opportunity and the experience of taking Ed Gee on his first ‘road trip’ to the Statehouse and having the governor stop at our display,” Parkway junior Michael Miracle said in summary. “It was awesome!”

Gov. Kasich spent about half hour at the showcase talking to students and viewing their displays. He also addressed the approximately 150 students, teachers and guests in attendance.

The purpose of the event was to show legislators and lawmakers the projects and programs that students work on through career technical education and the value of CTE to Ohio’s students and economy.  The timing of the Showcase was set to coincide with State budget process as lawmakers review the governor’s proposed budget, which includes a new education funding formula that will impact career technical education.