CHANUTE — Some of Kyleigh Ogle’s handiwork can be found across the state.
Ogle, a sophomore at Neosho County College, has assisted with construction of cabins built for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
There’s one near Perry State Park on the outskirts of Topeka.
Another is at Crawford State Park between Fort Scott in Pittsburg.
And there’s one at Cross Timbers State Park outside of Toronto.
Now, Ogle and her construction trades classmates at NCCC are putting the finishing touches on their latest cabin: Lovewell State Park, in north-central Kansas.
Supply chain issues prevented the cabin’s completion before the end of the spring 2023 semester, explained construction trades instructor Kyle Seufert.
“We’re hoping, if the plumber shows up, it’ll be ready to go soon,” Seufert said.
All that remains is the kitchen sink installation, adding a front porch and installing tile flooring. The latter two to-do items will wait until the cabin is at its permanent home, Seufert said.
“With all the shifting and rattling, it’s better to wait until after it’s moved.”
THE CONSTRUCTION program is one of several career and technical education courses offered at Neosho’s Mitchell Career and Technology Center.
The college acquired the building — a former cabinet manufacturing plant — in 2018, and has spent the subsequent five years turning the 64,000-square-foot building into a state-of-the-art education center.
Boosted by a $1.3 million donation in 2021 by Chanute natives Mike and CeCe Mitchell, the center has expanded from its first two programs — industrial maintenance technology and aerostructure science — to include welding, electrical engineering, plumbing, HVAC and construction trades.
On top of that, the building also houses an indoor training facility for NCCC athletics programs, a career services center for KansasWorks to match students with job opportunities, an assortment of classrooms, as well as a student lounge area.
Next up is the addition of automotive technology as early as 2024.
