PTECH welcomes class of 2028 during signing ceremony

May 24—One year ago, on May 17, a group of timid students sat on the McHale Performing Arts Center stage with the words "The adventure starts now" projected above them.

That adventure: PTECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School)

Tuesday night, a new cohort of students sat waiting to begin their PTECH adventure during the PTECH Signing Ceremony.

Current students, called young scholars, shared how the program was already changing their lives.

Justin Martinez was the first to speak, saying the program had forced him to step out of his comfort zone.

"I wasn't really much of a speaker but I set out to be successful and prove I was worth it," he said. "I would hide from myself, from everybody. I was scared to interact with people."

Martinez shared that his mother had been unable to walk and had had two 10-hour surgeries. She was told it would take years for her to walk again, but she is exceeding doctors' expectations.

"When she finally came home from the hospital after being there for months on end, she sat me down and told me she wanted me to behave and pursue my education," he said.

Most of his family never had the opportunity to complete their education, he said. His aunt was the first to graduate. Martinez said he wanted to follow her example.

"I want to be the first in my family to go to college and succeed in my studies," he said.

After speeches completed, 22 incoming freshmen became official members of PTECH.

In PTECH, the sophomore year is called Chapter Two. Freshman year is Chapter One.

PTECH is a four-year high school program in which young scholars will have the opportunity to graduate with an Ivy Tech associate degree in advanced manufacturing. The young scholars will build employability skills as well as community building skills.

Logansport is one of four high schools in Indiana participating in the program. Soon there will be 250 schools in 13 states.

As it enters Chapter Two and doubles in size, PTECH will also enter the eighth grade, creating a feeder program into high school.

"We are so proud of the progress (the students) have made over the course of the year," said PTECH principal Dr. Christy Diehl.

Diehl said the young scholars were on track to graduate, were staying out of trouble, were focused, had found a purpose and understood that school can be different than the traditional education most receive.

Compared to typical freshmen at Logansport High School, PTECH attendance was three points higher, 96.3 percent to 93.2. Their overall GPA was also better, 3.34 to 2.84.

During the year, they participated in workplace learning challenges, helping some of the biggest employers in Cass County.

For Steinberger Construction, the students helped design storage solutions to help those at job sites to easier find the tools they needed.

At Logansport Savings Bank, they worked to help the bank better connect with young people through marketing.

Tyson asked the students to organize their chemical storage space, which gave the young scholars an opportunity to also learn about the chemicals they would be working with.

The young scholars also completed an organization data project for Dilling Group. At The United Way, helped create a healthy living survey and they made a recruitment video for Small Parts.

Julianna Ricones and Cayden Irons were two eighth graders who were ready to become young scholars Tuesday night.

"I wanted to better myself and to have better grades to make my parents proud," Irons said as to why he joined PTech. "I think it will help me because it's more group-based work and I am better at that."

Christian Humanna said the biggest piece of advice he had for the new students was to listen.

"Listen to the teachers," he said. "And always have confidence. That's what I am going for in my mentality, always having confidence."

Humanna said PTECH was amazing in many ways.

"It can help you change," he said. "It can help you be a better person."