Category: Education

Large Donation to LCCC SHINE Program

Tamaqua-based certified public accountant Larry Wittig has been an ambassador for Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) for more than a decade. In this role, Larry Wittig increased scholarship opportunities for local students by helping to establish the Morgan Foundation scholarship program. This and other donations have helped LCCC expand its scholarships and programming catering to underserved youths.

At the end of 2019, LCCC received a generous $10,000 donation toward its Schools and Homes in Education (SHINE) afterschool programs. SHINE incorporates multifaceted social and educational programs that boost academic attendance and performance and reduce rates of juvenile delinquency.

The intervention offers professional development to prepare educators for the demands of 21st-century classrooms, programs for parents and preschool-aged children, and a comprehensive STEM curriculum for middle school students. High school students can enroll in SHINE’s service-learning programs or undertake summer internships. Since its launch in 2005, SHINE has impacted more than 1,000 youths across the state.

LCCC Aviation Science Program

For more than four decades, certified public accountant Larry Wittig has led successful companies and served on the boards of several organizations in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Since 2002, Larry Wittig has functioned as an ambassador for Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), an accredited two-year institution that offers more than 90 degree programs, including in aviation science.

LCCC’s associate of applied science in aviation science program qualifies graduates to obtain entry-level positions as ground staff at local airports, at relevant government agencies, and in other flight-related professions. Candidates take on a diverse course load of prerequisites, business courses, and flight training.

As part of the program’s requirements, all graduates earn a private pilot certificate endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Graduates can also go to a four-year program in either aviation management or flight school. LCCC offers two Lehigh Valley International Airport-based flight simulation experiences. The program is restricted to U.S. citizens who are able to obtain an FAA medical certificate.

SHINE Program Engages Middle School Students in STEM Learning

A graduate of Drexel University, Larry Wittig of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, possesses a master of business administration with a concentration in accounting. The owner of Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling, Inc., Larry Wittig is actively involved in his community and serves as a member of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board (LSWIB).

A private nonprofit corporation that oversees a Workforce Investment Area that encompasses Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties, LSWIB determines how federal workforce dollars will be spent in the local region to promote business, education, and economic development. One recent investment LSWIB approved was a nearly $25,000 allocation for the SHINE after-school program for middle-school students.

Based at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center and supported by multiple funding sources, the SHINE program offers food and intellectual stimulation through its after-school programming and weekly home visits. Using a STEM-based curriculum, SHINE has helped students acquire a range of new skills, including setting up a theoretical pizza shop, using computer-aided design to construct a birdhouse, and building solar-powered toy cars from kits.