Chase Orth is presented with the Outstanding Career & Technical Education Senior Award at Senior Recognition Night 2025.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Outstanding Career & Technical Education Senior Award is Lehigh Career & Technical Institute’s most prestigious accolade. Students selected to receive it are the best of the best at LCTI.

One of this year’s two Outstanding Career & Technical Education Senior Award winners is Chase Orth, a homeschooled student in LCTI’s Heavy Equipment Operations & Preventive Maintenance program. Director of Career & Technical Education Darin Van Norman honored Chase on Thursday (May 29, 2025) at PPL Center during the school’s annual Senior Recognition Night.

James Wabals, LCTI’s Heavy Equipment Operations teacher, said Chase is a student who consistently performs at the highest levels academically and technically, setting an example for his peers.

Dr. Van Norman noted that one of Chase’s most impressive feats is completing not one, but two of the school’s technical programs. Before taking on bulldozers, skid-steer loaders and other heavy equipment in the back half of his high school career, he studied with our Carpentry teachers Thomas Shirkness and James Geist. Chase started working on the Carpentry program task list as a ninth grader and wrapped it up in 10th grade.

On top of that, Chase is a National Technical Honor Society member, a student ambassador for the Heavy Equipment Operations program and a SkillsUSA competitor who placed fourth at states. He’s also earned multiple Student of the Month or Student of the Quarter honors and is a SkillsUSA Elmer Gates Enterprise Award winner.

Chase, 18, participates in LCTI’s cooperative education program and plans to continue with his co-op employer, Woods Landscaping & Dirt Works, after graduation.

Congratulations, Chase. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!

This is how we achieve! #weachieve