The Clinton County Area Technology Center has a new face in the administrative office. Stesha Flowers was recently hired as principal of ATC.

Flowers replaced Alfredda Stearns, who recently retired after serving five years as ATC principal.

Since October 1, Flowers has been working to better educate her students by getting them college and real world ready.

Flowers is originally from Monticello, KY. She obtained her undergraduate degree, as well as her Masters and Rank I in educational leadership and special education from Eastern Kentucky University.

“I’ve been a classroom teacher for more than 12 years. I’ve taught here at Clinton County for the past five years,” Flowers said. “I taught office technology and I’ve enjoyed working with the students and being in the classroom, however, I look forward to this new role as principal.”

This year’s focus for teachers and administrative personnel at the ATC is preparing students for the real world, whether that be polishing a trade or heading to college.

“With the new Kentucky Testing Accountability, we are really focusing on college and career readiness for all of our students,” Flowers said. “We want them leaving here college and career ready. That means we are going to have to offer rigorous curriculum, challenging classes and working with the local district and parents to make sure every student is on track to leave us college and career ready.”

The Clinton County ATC currently has 454 students, including students from Cumberland County who are bused to the ATC for classes.

“Our main focus here at the ATC this year is to provide industry certification,” Flowers said.

Industry Certification is setting students up to choose a career pathway. Flowers said they want to make sure each student gets all the classes he or she needs in order to be ready for the real world.

“For automotive, for example, they would get to complete the ASC certification,” Flowers said.

Clinton County offers a variety of options at the ATC, including office technology, health sciences, electricity, carpentry, welding and automotive classes.

“Those teachers are working to prepare those students for an industry certification in that department or passing the KOSSA (Kentucky Occupational Skills Standards Assessment),” Flowers said.

Even though Flowers has been in her new position for less than a month, she is eager to see what her new position has in store for her.

“It has been a change,” Flowers said. “In the classroom I was focused on my curriculum as an office tech teacher and now, assuming the role as principal, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of looking at the school as a whole and how we can benefit our students.”

In today’s society, learning a skill or trade could be more valuable to some students. That is why Flowers feels the technology aspect of education is important for students to learn.

“I think our local ATC is more important now under the new accountability system than they’ve ever been before,” Flowers said. “We are beginning to see technical skills as an asset. We integrate academics, math, reading and writing into our technical concepts. I think the 21st Century skills that are needed, a lot of that being project based learning, is going on here at the ATC. We are able to incorporate the 21st Century learning skills into our content which is definitely needed by all students when they graduate high school.”

Flowers said they hope to focus on the eighth grade students who will become freshmen next fall, in order to steer them on the right career pathway.

“That way they don’t take classes in welding and carpentry and then realize they want to do something else,” Flowers said.

In the health services department, students can be certified in pharmacy tech or the equivalent of a Certified Nurse Assistant.

“It’s going to be a challenging role, but one that I definitely look forward to being a part of. Helping the teachers prepare the students to be productive members of our society,” Flowers said.

Clinton County ATC also has three student organizations that pull students into a particular profession and add support for their career.

Those organizations are Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and SkillsUSA. All three groups directly incorporate those departments taught at ATC.

“Students are very active in community projects, leadership development and competitive events,” Flowers said. “

Stesha Flowers, who for the past five years taught Office Technology at the Clinton County Area Technology Center, was recently named as the facility’s newest principal.