By Shirley Shuman
Recently the faculty and staff of Braxton County High selected Keith Greene as the BCHS CTE Teacher of the Year. Greene, instructor of the electrical education program at the high school, was pleased with the title he received. “ I feel honored to be selected CTE Teacher of the Year since there are so many great teachers in our department,” he said. “This is a special honor because I was chosen by my peers.”
Not only his peers but also his principal admire this man’s work. Braxton principal Lori Stover-Williams relies on him quite frequently. “Keith is my go-to guy,” she said. “He knows how to do anything, and he teaches his kids the same. He makes sure they leave his classroom with not only a skill but with employable traits such as work ethic, respect, and pride. He leads the students by example and always encourages them to do even better.”
Greene has worn more than one hat during his time at the high school, but he is convinced that he is where he belongs now. In his 19th year in the BCHS vocational department, he began when he taught the last three months of a school term for Rick Cutlip in electricity education. Actually, he had the skills to fulfill that role because of his father and Cutlip. “I learned what I know about electricity from my dad and Rick Cutlip. Working for my dad in Greene Construction, I worked closely with Rick, who was a foreman at the time,” he said.
Following three months in electrical, , he taught Building Construction for one school term. For the next five years, Greene taught Industrial Equipment and Management. Then came nine years in carpentry, He is now finishing his fourth year where he began—in the Electrical Pathway.. That’s where he plans to stay.
Greene is proud of what students in his classes have done within the school itself. The class has taken care of all the lights in the school along with all electrical issues which came up. Their main project this year, and Greene considers it a major project, was rewiring the renovated gymnasium. “We rewired the entire gym including new lighting, the giant screen, and the sound system,” he explained. In addition to all of this, they wired the new coffee shop which will be run by the Entrepreneur class next school term.
Of course, all of this work enhances the skills of those in Greene’s classes. However, in order to pursue a career in electrical work, these individuals must pass their journeyman’s test, which is given to senior completers in the Electrical Pathway. To be eligible to take this test, seniors must have completed eight electricians’ classes after which each will receive a certificate certifying that he has 1,080 hours toward the electrician’s license. Other requirements to take the journeyman’s test include having no more than three unexcused absences during the senior year, passing two drug tests, passing the WV Education Department’s NOCTI test, and taking the OSHA-10 class. Four of Greene’s students passed the journey-man’s test this year. Since he took over the electrical class, he has seen 12 pass. Greene summarized his attitude about his job. “I love getting up every morning and trying to make a difference in some kid’s life, because what I teach offers a lifetime job,” he said.