PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center has announced the selection of Otis Nelson as its 2017-2018 CTE Student of the Year.
Nelson is an Ashland Community High School student who has attended PIRCTC for the past two years, and is enrolled in the building trades program.
During that time, school officials said, he has been an integral part of some extremely important projects constructed by the building trades program. He was the lead carpenter involved in the construction of the new masonry facility at the tech center, as well as several other significant live work undertakings.
Nelson has also shown an accelerated talent for finish carpentry, having recently completed a bookcase for the outpatient rehab care program at The Aroostook Medical Center.
He also recently completed an extremely intricate piece of furniture which highlighted the use of two different types of hardwood in a tabletop. His instructor commented that the finished product resembled more closely a piece of artwork than a piece of furniture, and described Nelson as “an extremely hard-working young man with an excellent attitude who maintains a very strong sense of professionalism and pride in his work.”
During his two years at PIRCTC, Nelson has earned his 10-hour OSHA safety card, four different ladder certifications, a CPR/First Aid certification, and has finished fourth in the recently concluded state SkillsUSA carpentry competition.
When he is away from his Building Trades program, Otis applies his carpentry skills while working for his father at Modern Roofing Company in Portage. He is also an aviation and motorcycle enthusiast who plans on attending school in Florida next year to become an aviation mechanic.
