Two GCS Students Recognized for Career and Technical Education Achievement

Two students are being recognized for their Career and Technical Education (CTE) excellence.

The South Carolina Work-Based Learning Student of the Year is Alexander Massey, and the Greenville County Technology Champion is Qiah Hernandez-Rivera.

The South Carolina Work-Based Learning Student of the Year Award, presented by the state Department of Education, recognizes an outstanding WBL student who exemplifies representation while applying academia to real life, real work, and real-world situations in the business or industry environment.

Alexander attends Blue Ridge High School and the J. Harley Bonds Career Center. He was also named the J. Harley Bonds Work-Based Learning Student of the Year and the Greenville County School District Work-Based Learning Student of the Year.

He holds eight certifications including: Firefighter 1 Certification, Firefighter 2 Certification, OSHA-10, Hazardous Materials Certification, Basic Automotive Extrication, Emergency Medical Responders Certification, And NIMS ICS100 and 200 Certifications and Microburst Professional Soft Skills Certification.

The Department of Education recognizes regional Technology Champions as the most outstanding Career and Technical Education students from each region of the state.

Qiah is a senior at Wade Hampton High School and a Culinary Arts Management Completer at Enoree Career Center.

“Congratulations to both of these outstanding students who have demonstrated success in their academic endeavors as well as the determination to take full advantage of the opportunities provided to them while at the career centers,” said Greenville County Schools Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster. 

These students exemplify the goals surrounding Greenville County Schools’ Graduation Plus initiative which aims to ensure students graduate with a diploma plus industry certification, college credit or both.