Rotary Club Honors Vocational Student to Spotlight Skilled Trades

On Dec. 2025 the Rotary Club of Jacksonville launched a Vocational Student of the Month initiative and presented the inaugural award to Illinois School for the Deaf senior Corbin Kuhn. Reg Ankrom, chair of the Rotary Vocational Committee, led the presentation and framed the program as a community effort to spotlight and affirm vocational education as a viable, respected route to steady employment. Jill Bruington, career and technical education principal at the Illinois School for the Deaf, also addressed the audience, tracing the evolution of vocational programs at the school.

Kuhn, a senior at ISD, was selected as the first recipient because of his clear career interests in construction and aviation mechanics and his concrete post-graduation plan to attend Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield. The recognition gives Kuhn local visibility as he moves from secondary school into postsecondary training that can lead directly to regional jobs in construction trades and aircraft maintenance.

For Morgan County residents, the Rotary initiative signals a shift in community priorities toward workforce development. Local employers in construction, transportation and maintenance sectors increasingly rely on credentialed technicians and trade workers. By publicly honoring vocational students, the Rotary Club aims to reduce stigma around non-college career paths and strengthen connections between high school programs, community colleges and area employers. That linkage is central to building a steadier labor supply at a time when many regions are reporting shortages of trained tradespeople and pressure on wages in those fields.

The award also highlights Lincoln Land Community College as an accessible next step for ISD graduates. Community colleges serve as a cost-effective bridge between high school and the labor market, delivering certificates and associate degrees that often translate into immediate employment. For families weighing education options, the Rotary recognition underscores that vocational credentials can be a strategic economic choice for students like Kuhn.

Longer term, initiatives that elevate vocational students can affect local labor market dynamics by encouraging more students to pursue technical credentials, increasing the pool of qualified workers for employers, and potentially drawing investment into apprenticeship and training programs. For now, the immediate impact is personal and practical: a Morgan County senior received a community-backed endorsement as he prepares for targeted postsecondary training and entry into skilled work.

The Rotary Club said it intends to continue the monthly recognition, using the program to build relationships among schools, training providers and businesses in the county.