Ashlyn Bell spent most days this summer making sure area kids had a positive summer experience at the Henry County YMCA. Ashlyn is an Education Careers student at the New Castle Career Center and puts her skills to use at the Y’s summer day camps. In addition to working with the camps, she served at the front desk and in Child Watch, the service used by Y members to care for kids while their parents worked out.

“My experience at the Y helped me learn the importance of following childcare procedures and how different activities are developmentally appropriate for certain ages,” Ashlyn shared. “My favorite aspects of working with kids include learning by play and encouraging them to use creativity.”

Through her work at the Y, Ashlyn applied the knowledge she is gaining at the New Castle Career Center. She plans to use this knowledge and her experience at the YMCA as she prepares for a career as an elementary school teacher.

“Education careers has prepared me for my job at the Y by giving me classroom experience in how hands-on activities help children learn. I feel these activities can happen at any time and they show children that learning can be fun!” she exclaimed.

Kelsay Smith serves as the Program Director at the Henry County YMCA and worked alongside Ashlyn the past two summers. She recognized the impact the Education Careers program has had on Ashlyn’s work at the Y. 

“Ashlyn takes on more leadership and initiative, setting behavior expectations for the children involved in our program,” Kelsay noted. “She took time to get to know and relate to each child, which helped her manage challenging situations professionally.”

The New Castle Career Center will be sharing additional stories about how students are using their skills to serve the community. Those interested in more information about the New Castle Career Center can visit nccareercenter.org and follow the Center on Facebook. 

The beginning of the school year marked the beginning of new roles for several staff members. 

Sherry Denney serves as the administrative assistant for the New Castle Career Center. Sherry brings a breadth of experience to her new role including coordinating large events, marketing, and working in the corporate world.

“I wanted a change and I had never worked in a school environment. I can see that each team member really cares about each student; they go the extra mile to ensure that every student is taken care of and is in the right program to prepare them for a career. My goal is to support our teachers in the best way possible, allowing them to devote their time and energy to serve their students,” Sherry noted. 

Jessika Feltz is the new Graphic Design program instructor. With 15 years of experience in the photography and graphic design industry, Jessika looks forward to helping students expand their design abilities. 

“Art is everywhere and I want them to learn to see the world artistically,” she expressed. “I am excited to offer new dual credit courses for the students that will enable them to graduate with a technical certificate from Ivy Tech.”

Jessika plans to teach students design-related software, the fundamentals of art, employability, and professionalism. “This strong foundation will then be applied through hands-on projects, work-based learning opportunities, and portfolio building,” she added.

Kilyssa Hamm will be serving as the Health Sciences Assistant. She is a big fan of Henry County youth and looks forward to being part of the student’s future. She looks forward to working together with the staff and students. 

Kilyssa shared: “I cannot wait to see students have those ‘aha’ moments as they learn a new skill or life lesson. My goal is to be the “hype girl” for the students, to help guide them and be an adult they can look up to and learn from. Planning your future is not easy, but there are so many resources and tools students can use to make the best decisions possible.  I hope to be another resource for them.” 

Melynda Huckeby served as a Language Arts teacher for 11 years before becoming an instructional coach last year. These experiences have given her the knowledge and insight needed to serve as the new Education Careers program instructor. 

“I want to inspire, equip, and encourage students seeking to become an educator. I want to offer hope and confidence to our future educators, so I’m excited to be a part of a program that provides students with a ‘jump start’ towards their career,” she said.   

Melynda plans to prepare students to approach teaching with excitement and joy. First-year students will complete three college courses and complete observational hours at lab site schools. Second-year students will complete two courses and continue their observational hours at our lab site schools. Students are also members of Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).  

Jason McCutchan is the new  Welding Success Coach for the New Castle Career Center. Jason was a graphic designer for over 23 years, most recently serving as an Art Director for a company. In this role, he hired many recent college and high school graduates for graphic design and installation positions.  

“I enjoy teaching/training others in different aspects of not only their skilled profession but also to help instill workplace professionalism and customer service skills,” he explained. “I want to be a leader and share my past experiences to be a positive impact on young adults as they enter their professional careers.”