By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Thanks to an “illuminating” project by NCK Tech students, those enjoying Kiwanis Park, 17th and Harvest Road, will now be able to do so after dark.

The electrical technology students spent two days last week installing two electrical receptacles and a light for the shelter house.

“People will be able to use an electric grill and have a light turned on when they need to,” said Allan Hill, instructor and Electrical Technology Department chairman. “We’re running power from the power source underground to the shelter.”

The students took skills they learned in classes and labs to the real-world park setting, including wiring of electrical wire receptacles and light switches and bending in conduit wire.

“We ran PVC pipe underground the first day. The second day, they learned how to pull wire through that pipe and hook it all up,” Hill explained.

NCK Tech has a partnership with the city of Hays to have their students complete projects which would otherwise need to be done by city employees. In exchange, the school is charged no rent for a city-owned building which houses the NCK Tech Big Creek Campus downtown at 101 Main Street.

The same day seven students were completing the Kiwanis Park project, seven other students were involved in another hand-on project at the main NCK Tech campus, 2205 Wheatland Ave, installing exit lights in school buildings.

Students graduating from the electrical technology program in Hays usually have no problem finding employment.

“I have seven more second-year students and they all have jobs and are out away and working,” Hill said.

“The ones working here in the park are first-year students. With the construction business as high as it is, electricians are needed everywhere. These guys, if they’re willing to move or even stay in the area, there’s jobs waiting for them to go find.”