Shelby Program makes good showing for college, captures awards

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
A mixed team of students and faculty from The Shelby Automotive Program at Northeast Texas Community College ran its first endurance go kart race at the Lone Star 500.  The team came in third place in their division, according to NTCC President Dr. Brad Johnson. The report was given to the board of trustees at the college’s Nov. 19 board meeting.
“There were roughly 12 teams that did not even finish the race,” Dr. Johnson said. “We had at least two breakdowns. Our students handled those breakdowns and did a really good job. We intend to make experiences like this the NTCC difference, not only in quality of instruction in the classroom, but the experience students have hands on. The high performance emphasis that exists in racing fits very nicely with the program the Shelby is putting together.”
Status of public schools to the colleges was reviewed by Dr. Johnson.
“We have been in discussion with Paris Junior College in a trade of responsibility for certain independent school districts in our service areas,” Dr. Johnson said. “HB5 ups the importance of career technical dual credit for the school districts. Many districts are looking at how they can partner up with other schools in their neighborhood. The board put in place a policy of dual credit tuition that grants the lower district tuition rate for everyone in a school district that has some paying taxes to the college. Until now, the only district affected by this policy was Hughes Springs ISD.  But if we begin serving Rivercrest ISD, they will fall under the same policy.”
He asked if there were any concerns about the policy being applied. None of the board members expressed an objection.
Dr. Johnson discussed the infrastructure needs of the college.
“On our fall in-service day, we had a flange fail that took out all the main water systems,” Dr. Johnson said. “We shuttled people to the ag building during the day to use their facilities. We had heating and water services out more than half of the day. We had another time where a failure caused no heat for a day. We have underground leaks all over the place. Normally they only cost us lost water. But when the leaks get too large, they bring the systems down. The top priority is the wastewater treatment plant. We are up against the discharge limits, and the state requires we upgrade. They monitor us closely and when we reach 90 percent, we are required to have a ‘shovel in the ground.’ The wastewater flow is increasing and we think it is seepage from the water system to the wastewater. We are treating more water than we need to be.

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