Estill County school district opens new ATC building to bring opportunity to Irvine

IRVINE, Ky. (WTVQ) – The new ATC building has been a dream for the school district for more than 25 years. This year class is finally in session. Previously, students had to drive an hour and a half for career and technology training in Madison County. The school district has gone from having 80 vocational education student to now having more than 200. In collaboration with a regional technical college, the school has local sponsors lining up to help show students the ropes. Superintendent Jeff Saylor predicts it’ll attract new business and thousands of jobs jobs during the next decade.

“Hopefully we are going to have employers that are going to look at this and say this is a possibility to fill the vacancies that we have,” says Saylor.

The six major areas of study are advanced manufacturing, health sciences, information technology, construction technology, stem engineering and diesel technology. For 15 year old Katelyn Harvey, being in a diesel program and learning how to repair vehicles is second nature to her.

“Growing up I was raised around vehicles my dad was a truck driver for a certain amount of time,” explains Harvey.

Last year Katelyn lost both her parents in a tragic accident.

“Sometimes I struggle more than often..And have days where I just want to lay there and let it all build up on me but I know that I can’t do that and I know that I got people that I need to get going for,” explains Harvey.

Harvey says what’s helped restart her engine is being in this diesel program, where she’s the only female student.

“I was raised with boys my whole life so, he’d (her dad) probably say I figured she would do it but I didn’t think she could do it,” says Harvey.

Harvey uses that as motivation to prove that rust and grease can look good on girl jeans too.

“I think at this point I’m proving to him and everybody else that no matter what gender you are if you’re female or a male anything can be possible you just got to put your mind to it and stay focused on it,” explains Harvey.