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Fifteen students inducted in National Technical Honor Society at East Lee County High School

By MEGHAN BRADBURY - | Jun 2, 2021

Dr. Williams Downes inspired 136 of his students to participate in the monitoring and tracking of the Mars NASA Perseverance Rover. PHOTO PROVIDED

news@breezenewspapers.com

Fifteen students were recognized during the first National Technical Honor Society induction at East Lee County High School on May 20, which will connect them with others in their discipline across the nation.

“The kids were quite happy to be recognized for their hard work and being inducted to an academic society. I was happy to do it for them. We had several principals there. Another classroom came to witness it,” said Digital Information Technology Business Education teacher Dr. Williams Downes, who is the sponsor of the club.

He began the chapter at the school so the students in the academies could get recognition as it focuses on vocational classes. The National Technical Honor Society honors such technical occupations as welding, auto mechanics, nursing, horticulture, digital design and firefighters.

“The National Technical Honors Society is for the academies for the technical advancements in the technical world,” he said

The 15 students, six of whom are seniors and graduating this year, had grade point averages ranging from 3.5 to 5.5.

In addition to receiving scholarships for being a member of the society, Downes said the students also get involved in different community assignments which, unfortunately due to the pandemic, has cooled down. The students, however, are collaborating, networking and cross training with fellow students.

For example, there is awareness being made with auto mechanics students interfacing with someone on the medical side in nursing.

“We are bringing all the different vocational (studies) together, so they can mingle and get to know what all these different vocations are,” he said of a nursing student trying welding. “They cross train to do nursing and welding.”

A perk of being enrolled in the various academies is the ability to be certified in a specific trade before graduating from high school.

“All these academies, the kids get certified, so when they can leave and get a job; it is (something) other than McDonalds and Burger King,” Downes said. “For Photoshop, the salary range is from $38,000 to $120,000 just by having a certificate. A lot of them did not realize that Photoshop can bring you lots of money independently, or working for a company. They are doing digital art. Everyone is about advertising and they will ask for you.”

The National Technical Honors Society is also a great network for students, as they have resources across the country. He said the student can go to the society and find someone in their discipline and receive help, both intellectual and physical assistance

“It puts them in connection with an academic realm who wants to succeed and do well in life,” Downes said. “The organization really is to help the kids when they leave school to have more than just a high school diploma. It gives them the opportunity to have life skills to take with them when they go to college and beyond . . . diversify and have more to offer when they do service in the community.”

Downes, who has a doctorate in business as well as a computer science degree, is finishing his second year of teaching digital design and software courses in the academies at East Lee County High School. His focus this year has been teaching six classes of Photoshop.

“The nice thing about the academies is if the kids are smart about moving and taking advantage of it, they can come out with five, or six certifications by the time they graduate,” Downes said.

The ability to give the students something that is useful once leaving high school, such as a certification, is something he enjoys about teaching academy courses.

“If a kid comes out with his high school degree and a certification, he has more options to do more because not every kid will go to college,” he said. “I love to motivate and think outside of the box. To get out of the box and see what else is around you. This opens their eyes.”

In addition to being a teacher, Downes has also applied to the astronaut program and has been accepted. Now he is in the competition to be accepted as an astronaut candidate.

“I also have my two sons, one is a doctor and a dentist. All three of us have applied to the astronaut program. My wife would have, too, but I didn’t ask her. That was my fault,” he said laughing. “7

I have always wanted to. My sons are doing it because of my passion. Why don’t we go to the moon as a family? Let’s all go.”

Now the waiting game has begun to see if they will make it to candidate status, which could happen at the beginning of next year when they are notified. 

With his love of NASA, he brought a unique experience to his students at East Lee County High School.

Students from the Digital Design Academy had the opportunity to participate in a Mars Rover mission. Downes inspired 136 students to monitor and track the Mars NASA Perseverance Rover, which landed Feb. 18 at 3:55 EST. The students were among 10.9 million others.

“I was the judge for naming this past round. We judge the names, which have merit,” Downes said, adding that the best essay for the particular name is voted on. “That rover is Perseverance Rover. A seventh grader won the contest with their essay.”

The primary mission of Perseverance, which will last one Mars year, about 687 Earth days, is to explore Jezero Crater, which will address high-priority science goals for Mars exploration. An objective of the mission is astrobiology. It will search for signs of ancient microbial life, as well as characterize the planet’s climate and geology to pave the way for human exploration.

Downes, who formerly worked for a NASA space propulsion prime contractor, worked with process improvement manufacturing RL-10 rocket engine that propelled the Centaur upper stage rocket and lander module to Mars.