Fabian decided to attend Lehigh Career & Technical Institute after learning about the school from his brother, who studied Auto Technology at LCTI.

During rotations — a six-week period new students spend exploring three of LCTI’s career and technical education programs — Fabian checked out Cabinetmaking & Millwork, Carpentry and Computer-Aided Drafting & Design. He chose Drafting because of the program’s design element and instructor Wanda Yohn’s teaching style.

“Any questions I have, she answers. She explains the why of what we’re learning,” Fabian says, noting that Drafting has helped him understand why traditional academic classes like trigonometry, calculus and physics are so important.

Fabian, who is a member of LCTI’s National Technical Honor Society, says Drafting feels more like an office than a classroom. Students have the freedom to work independently at their own pace and to take on projects that interest them. Fabian particularly enjoyed using a 3D printer to produce a toy plane he modeled after a World War II jet and designing his dream home.

Students routinely tackle projects that mimic real-life situations, says Fabian, a Whitehall High School senior. For example, they were tasked with coming up with a design plan for a teacher interested in remodeling his basement. Students adjusted the plan based on the “client’s” feedback.

Fabian has been accepted to Thaddeus Stevens College and plans to study architectural technology next fall. His goal is to become an architect. Fabian said he’s particularly grateful to Yohn, who was instrumental in the college application process and helping him decide which school to attend.

Learn more about the Computer-Aided Drafting & Design program and how it prepares high school students for college and career success.