Veteran Services at Lehigh Carbon Community College

A Pennsylvania-based CPA with more than four decades of experience, Larry Wittig has also owned Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling Inc. since 1995. Highly involved in shaping and promoting education in Pennsylvania, Larry Wittig is a former chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education and has served as an ambassador for Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC).

A certified Institution of Higher Learning under the Veterans Administration, LCCC offers a variety of resources and support services to help military members and veterans enroll and graduate from the institution. Veterans can receive up to four years of financial support via the Montgomery GI Bill – provided they meet eligibility requirements, which include at least two years of active military service. They can also receive financial aid for online course enrollment via the Army Continuing Education System.

Beyond accommodating financial support for military members and veterans, LCCC helps these students through programming and campus services. For starters, veteran students have the advantage of signing up for courses one day before other students. The school also operates the LCCC Veterans Club and the service member honor society SALUTE, both of which allow veterans to network and make connections with their contemporaries. In addition, LCCC has a Veteran Support Team comprised of several professionals who help military members and veterans make the most of their time on campus.

The LCCC’s Parkland Transitions Program

A member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Larry Wittig manages a private accounting practice and serves as the president of Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling, Inc. Outside of his professional endeavors, Larry Wittig is an ambassador to Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC).

In addition to offering more than 90 academic programs in a variety of subjects, LCCC has several non-credit programs that benefit members of the communities of which it serves. One of these programs is Parkland Transitions. The program provides special education to students of Parkland High School between the ages of 18 and 21, providing them with the opportunity to expand their self-advocacy and communication skills and learn tangible life skills such as meal preparation, map navigation, and business math.

Parkland Transition students are mentored by LCCC teacher education students who, in turn, gain invaluable experience in this leadership role. The idea for the program was initiated by Parkland High School special education teacher Dave York, who originally taught transitions classes at the high school. The partnership with LCCC was inaugurated in 2012, and the college campus in Schnecksville has provided a more accommodating environment to participating students.

The three-day-per-week program involves two days of classroom instruction and an informal day in which students focus on social or practical skills. Activities in this regard generally include playing basketball, painting, or cooking breakfast.

Tamaqua Area School Board Creates Safety Commission

With more than four decades of experience, Larry Wittig leads a northeast Pennsylvania CPA firm as the managing partner. Outside of his professional endeavors, Larry Wittig serves as the president of the Tamaqua Area School Board and was recently named to its new safety commission, which was established in August 2019.

Comprised of faculty members, first responders, parents, and school board members, the commission was created to set in place accountability and response in the event that school security is breached, and a triage situation is required to deal with an incident such as a mass shooting.

Among those on the commission are the Tamaqua police and fire chiefs and the West Penn Township police chief, as well as a pair of teachers and a school nurse. Three school board members, including Mr. Wittig, and two parents round out the commission.

The creation of the safety commission comes in the wake of Policy 705, which was adopted by the school board in September 2018, authorizing the arming of teachers, administrators, and district staff. This authorization was ultimately scrapped after intense debate, legal action, and a new law signed by Pennsylvania’s governor requiring special training for those who would be armed.

Mr. Wittig noted that consensus is required on the new commission for any such policy, and that it be both legal and effective. He added that saving lives is a priority.

LCCC Supports Youth Re-Entry Program

A resident of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, Larry Wittig serves on several education-related committees and boards. In addition to his longtime role as the president of the local area school board, Larry Wittig serves as an ambassador for Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), which educates thousands of local students.

At the end of 2019, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf allocated nearly $6 million to support LCCC and other education programs dedicated to supporting youth who have formerly been incarcerated. They often face difficulties when transitioning back into their communities, especially in terms of finding work and remaining employed.

In conjunction with the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley and Northampton Community College, LCCC provides youth between the ages of 18 to 24 with career readiness training and education. Re-entry employment programs have been linked to more positive outcomes for youth who have been in the justice system. The Youth Reentry Demonstration Project received nearly $1 million The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The project will run until 2022.