Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School
Encyclopedia
The Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School is a career & technical school located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
in the Lehigh Valley
region of Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. It was officially started in 1965 when the Bethlehem Area School District
, Northampton Area School District
, Saucon Valley School District and Bethlehem Area Catholic High School combined forces to form one vocational-technical school for its students to attend.
There was also a Vocational Industrial Department located in Liberty High School
from 1922 to 1934. In 1934 that same school housed seventh to twelfth grades; consequently, the Industrial Department was moved to Broughal and Excelsior. Between the years of 1934-1940 academic grades from ninth to twelfth were housed at Broughal along with drafting, cabinetmaking, pattern and printing shops while carpentry, electrical, electronics and machining were housed at the Excelsior.
Bethlehem Technical High School was located at the Quinn Building for ninth to twelfth grades. It had 18 classrooms and 10 shops. The school even had its own graduation. In January of 1956, vocational education was housed in the new annex building of Liberty High School, as a department. From 1956 to 1964 vocational education came under the supervision of the Liberty High School principal. Finally in 1965 it was finally called the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School. It did not have its own building until 1970 when the new BAVTS school was built adjacent to Freedom High School
for $3,000,000 in Bethlehem Township.
. Other clubs are affiliated with certain programs like National FFA Organization
or the Future Farmers of America which is associated with the floriculture class. Health Occupation Students of America is associated with the medical programs. Other clubs also include the National Technical Honor Society and MT6, the entrepreneurial club.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was officially started in 1965 when the Bethlehem Area School District
Bethlehem Area School District
The Bethlehem Area School District covers the City of Bethlehem, the Boroughs of Fountain Hill and Freemansburg and Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township in Lehigh County and Northampton County. The district operates two High Schools, four Middle Schools and sixteen Elementary Schools as well as...
, Northampton Area School District
Northampton Area School District
Northampton Area School District is a public school district located in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Northampton Area School District is the Home of the Konkrete Kids...
, Saucon Valley School District and Bethlehem Area Catholic High School combined forces to form one vocational-technical school for its students to attend.
History
The beginning of vocational education in the Bethlehem area began way before 1965, when in 1918 a Vocational Shop Program was started and located on East Fourth Street where the South Side Boy's Club is housed. From 1919 to 1934 a program named the Trade School was housed on Fourth Street at the Excelsior Building.There was also a Vocational Industrial Department located in Liberty High School
Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
For schools with similar names, see Liberty High School.Liberty High School is a public high school located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
from 1922 to 1934. In 1934 that same school housed seventh to twelfth grades; consequently, the Industrial Department was moved to Broughal and Excelsior. Between the years of 1934-1940 academic grades from ninth to twelfth were housed at Broughal along with drafting, cabinetmaking, pattern and printing shops while carpentry, electrical, electronics and machining were housed at the Excelsior.
Bethlehem Technical High School was located at the Quinn Building for ninth to twelfth grades. It had 18 classrooms and 10 shops. The school even had its own graduation. In January of 1956, vocational education was housed in the new annex building of Liberty High School, as a department. From 1956 to 1964 vocational education came under the supervision of the Liberty High School principal. Finally in 1965 it was finally called the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School. It did not have its own building until 1970 when the new BAVTS school was built adjacent to Freedom High School
Freedom High School (Pennsylvania)
Freedom High School is a public high school, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. Freedom is one of two public high schools in the Bethlehem Area School District. It is located at 3149 Chester Avenue, Bethlehem Township.The total...
for $3,000,000 in Bethlehem Township.
Programs
Currently BAVTS has 27 career & technical programs.- Cosmetology
- Cabinetmaking
- Carpentry
- Electrical Construction
- Heating Ventilation & Air-Conditioning
- Masonry
- Plumbing
- Commercial Art
- Fashion Industries
- Graphic Communications
- Video & Media Arts
- Web Design & Animation
- Baking
- Culinary Arts
- Culinary Arts & Event Planning
- Floriculture
- Medical & Health Careers
- Academy of Medical Sciences
- Health Careers/Nurse Aide
- Auto Collision
- Auto Technician
- Precision Machining
- Welding Technologies
- Protective Services
- Electro-Mechanical Technologies
- Academy of Engineering
- Manufacturing Processes
Clubs
Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School offers several options for club involvement. All students are members of SkillsUSASkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization serving more than 320,000 high school and college students and professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations. Since 2010, SkillsUSA has had Thomas...
. Other clubs are affiliated with certain programs like National FFA Organization
National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
or the Future Farmers of America which is associated with the floriculture class. Health Occupation Students of America is associated with the medical programs. Other clubs also include the National Technical Honor Society and MT6, the entrepreneurial club.
Scholarships
BAVTS began a scholarship program in 2001 by the Bridges Foundation. The Bridges Foundation was founded by Walter J. Dealtry and BAVTS administration to raise funds for career and technical student scholarships. BAVTS Bridges Foundation scholarship funds are available for qualified BAVTS high school seniors. Qualifying students will have their tuition waived for Continuing Education courses that offer advanced training and certification.Continuing Education
BAVTS' adult education department is the second-largest adult vocational-technical school in Pennsylvania as measured by the number of students completing courses. As a non-profit entity, the Continuing Education Department also shares teaching space and some essential core administrative services with Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School - a very cost effective relationship.External links
- http://www.bethlehemavts.org
- http://www.bethlehemavts.com.
- http://www.beth.k12.pa.us/admin/district/support_dir.lasso
- http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/all-manheld-022809,0,5700427.story
- http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/pennsylvania/bethlehem/bethlehem-avts/
- ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/MAPS/Education/AVTS_School_Districts.pdf
- http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/entity.asp?txtAUN=120481107&txtSchool=0&txtInst=26509