With eight career courses offering 12 business- and industry-certified programs, the Russellville City Schools Career and Technical Education center is a busy department. But according to RHS vice principal and CTE director Natalie Bendall, there just aren’t enough classrooms to properly house everything the school offers and have room for growth. So when she, Superintendent Heath Grimes, teacher Cindy Coan, Principal Jason Goodwin and RHS students attended CTE on the Hill Jan. 31, they used it as a chance to advocate for building onto the career tech center.

CTE on the Hill was organized by the state of Alabama and held at the Capitol in Montgomery. It provided students the chance to meet congressmen and legislators and tour the capitol.

“It was an incredible experience. We’ll definitely go again next year,” Bendall said.

Students had the chance to practice professional etiquette, like the proper way to introduce oneself to people in the political and business arenas. They also had the chance to meet Secretary of State John Merrill and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow.

“Not everyone got to personally meet Merrill, so that was a great opportunity,” Bendall said.

For Emma Claire Bragwell, meeting Merrill was one of the best parts of the trip.

“I’m interested in going into politics, so it was good to talk to him and see what it takes to be involved in it,” Bragwell said.

Morrow showed the students the chamber where voting takes place and even let them vote on a law to see how it all worked – which was Levi Gist’s favorite part of the day.

“I liked learning how it all works and actually getting the chance to vote and see the results right there,” Gist said.

Bendall said the trip was a great way to kick off February as Career Tech Month.