By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Leading state officials toured the Loring Job Corps Center on Jan. 19, interacting with students and learning about the instruction they receive.
Contributed photo
Secretary of State Charles Summers, Jr. took the driving simulator at the Loring Job Corps Center out for a virtual spin during his tour of the facility on Jan. 19. Loring Job Corps Driver Education Instructor Ed Lower is shown in back.
Specifically, Secretary of State Charlie Summers, Jr., Deputy Secretary of State Lynn Harvey, Deputy Secretary of State for Motor Vehicles Thomas Arnold, Director of Driver Education Eric Bellavance and Assistant to the Secretary of State Megan Sanborn were interested in viewing the center’s driving simulator – an arcade-like apparatus that yields an all-encompassing driving experience, minus the motion.
According to driver education instructor at the Loring Job Corps Center Ed Lower, the state officials were interested in looking at the simulator in regard to what sort of preparatory boon it could offer young drivers across the state.
Students of the Loring Job Corps Center informed the secretary and other leading officials that the driving simulator allowed them to gain experience in a safe environment and test things out they couldn’t do in an actual vehicle; Lower explained that the simulator can create learning experiences not safely replicable — like another vehicle pulling out of an alley abruptly and other unforseen circumstances.
Students told the secretary that the simulator is a good adjunct to the center’s driver education program, but nothing beats spending time “on the road.”
Since the Loring center received the driving simulator two years ago, it’s helped hundreds of students from ages 16-24 obtain their operating permits.
After touring the facilities, the state officials were invited to a special luncheon prepared by the center’s culinary students; members of Loring’s Student Government Association were among students invited to dine with the secretary, and conversation at the table was abundant.
The SGA students said that they talked about their life and educational experiences with the secretary — where they were before they came to the Loring Job Corps Center and where they want to be after graduating.
“I was surprised by how funny he was,” said SGA Treasurer Yesenia Pagan. “He has such a young personality.”
“He’s very polite and well spoken, and I believe he could relate to us,” said SGA Secretary Rafael Santana.
While the students had many fond things to say about the secretary, Summers had equally positive things to say about the students and the programs of the Loring Job Corps Center.
Not surprisingly, the students had some pretty positive things to say about the Loring Job Corps Center as well.
“Job corps is great; it gives you a second chance at life,” Pagan said.
