Earnest Pruett Center of Technology
J.F. Drake Technical College
3421 Meridian Street, North
Huntsville, AL 35810
Tad Montgomery, Applied Technology Division Chair
256-551-3144
The Earnest Pruett Center of Technology (EPCOT) began as a joint educational project between the Scottsboro City and Jackson County Boards of Education in 1969. The school’s primary goal has been to teach students the marketable skills necessary for lifelong professional success and postsecondary learning. “I believe our school has been successful throughout these many years because of the continuous level of support that we receive from our community and the genuine dedication of our teachers to helping our students prepare for their futures,” says Jackson County Career/Technical Education Director Dana Moore.
Students at EPCOT prepare for rewarding careers in the areas of Business/Marketing Education, Health Science, and Technical Education. EPCOT is the only secondary school in the nation to be selected to become a Haas Factory Technical Center, with machine tool equipment supplied through an industry partnership with Haas Automation.
Enrollment at EPCOT has increased from 180 students, just a few years ago, to more than 429 today. Currently, 17 highly qualified instructors teach courses at EPCOT, and the school has partnered with several local industries, including the Highlands Medical Center, to provide supplemental student development in the form of apprenticeships and internships.
An example of one of EPCOT’s innovative postsecondary partnerships is the SMART Apprenticeship Program for Industrial System Technology. This program creates partnerships between EPCOT and two-year colleges to provide continuous student development in the area of multi-craft maintenance. The school also offers students postsecondary night classes through a partnership with Drake State Technical College. The NEATIST Program, a continuation of the SMART program, provides additional skill development opportunities to adults.
Business/Marketing Education Program
Sylacauga High School
701 North Broadway
Sylacauga, AL 35150
Matt Hubbard, Assistant Principal
256-249-0911
The Business/Marketing Education program at Sylacauga High School is working hard to give students great interactive learning experiences and a strong foundation of instruction. Led by four highly motivated teachers, the program utilizes project-based learning activities to provide students with innovative hands-on learning opportunities and real-world experiences.
“Our success can be attributed to dedicated leadership, a supportive local community, and great students with a real passion to achieve,” said Sylacauga High School Program Chair Carol Sprayberry.
In 2006, about 560 students participated in the Business/Marketing Education Program at Sylacauga High School. Students participating in this program are able to earn career/technical education endorsements in four different completer pathways and have an opportunity to prepare for a variety of certifications and credentials, including CPR, OSHA, IC3, MOS, and A+. These professional level certifications benefit students by further preparing them with specialized skills and knowledge necessary for success in our nation’s highly competitive job market.
Some of the careers that students prepare for in this program include: accounting assistant, photojournalist, telecommunication specialist, network designer, web page designer, network systems manager, educator, computer software engineer, database administrator, medical/legal transcriptionist, graphic designer, public relations agent, attorney, financial advisor, and stock broker.
Innovative partnerships and programs, created to benefit students, include an articulation agreement with Central Alabama Community College, which allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. Also, this program offers students a chance to participate in early college, dual and accelerated enrollment programs.
