Economics 101: Each time Rappahannock County High School (RCHS) senior Ryan Atkins leaves campus to work on an air-conditioning unit or heat pump, he represents the concept of supply and demand.
Part of a national trend, more than half of Atkins’ fellow seniors said they were interested in entering trades like his HVAC work — welding, heavy machinery operations, plumbing, electrical — according to the school’s counseling staff.
Fueling these career-bound interests are scholarships granted by the Rappahannock County Lions Club, part of an expansion of educational funding by the 67-year-old service club’s foundation.
Students’ experiences
Two other RCHS students, who received Lions Club trades scholarships to go to Laurel Ridge, shared their experiences.
Ryan Cvengros, 17, a senior, took welding and small engine repair at the high school and completed a Heavy Equipment Operation (HEO) course at Laurel Ridge.
“It went very well,” he said. “The simulators were a great way to learn to operate the equipment. The instructor had the class go out and work on real construction equipment. The class also included resume writing and near the end of the course seven construction companies came to meet with and interview the students for jobs.”
Cvengros is awaiting word of employment with any of these companies.
Gavyn Jeffries, also a senior, took classes to obtain certificates in welding and building trades at the high school. He recently completed a Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) course at Laurel Ridge and was offered a position at Shirley Contracting Company in Lorton as a result. “The Heavy Equipment Operator course was a good class with a good teacher,” he said. “All of the class got along well and bonded with each other.”
Programs such as these have proven to have increased economic benefits. A recent story in Harvard Magazine reported that one such program called ADTC achieved a median wage gain of over $17,000 for its more than 1,100 graduates.
For years, the Lions Club has awarded scholarships for students entering two and four-year college programs, committing $24,000 in the 2024-25 school year. Of that amount, the club has awarded $12,472 in 11 trade scholarships during that year. Also, the Lions’ foundation provided a combined $880 for four students attending the Health Sciences Academy, a program administered through a partnership between Valley Health System and Laurel Ridge.
The previous year those totals were $14,000 in college financial aid and $3,353 in the trades’ Dual Enrollment program which allows students to take classes in high school and at Laurel Ridge.
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