Berks Career and Technology Center has a new education foundation.

Laci Naftzinger was in a dark place for a long time.

In early 2019, her father’s garage and workshop burned to the ground. The blaze turned what Naftzinger called her mechanic dad’s life work into ashes.

The fire left Naftzinger’s father, Terry, despondent. He ended up taking his own life in May 2020.

Naftzinger was heartbroken.

She said her father’s suicide led to her struggling with mental health issues. It caused her to lose hope.

“I gave up on everything,” she said.

But after about a year, Naftzinger began trying to pull herself out of the darkness. Before his death, her father had suggested Naftzinger might enjoy learning to weld, saying he would teach her everything he knew about the subject.

Naftzinger decided to enroll in the welding program at Berks Career and Technology Center. It was a life-changing choice.

“The day I first walked into this school I knew this is what I wanted to do,” she said. “This school has shown me things I never thought possible.”

Naftzinger, who graduated from Tulpehocken High School last year, is in her final year of BCTC’s welding program. She’s excited to graduate and pursue a career in the trade.

“I have a reason to get out of bed now,” she said. “For the first time I’m waking up each day with a smile.”

Naftzinger said BCTC provided her with the structure, education and support she needed to find her purpose in life. And school officials are continuing to strive to do that for the rest of their students.

Now, they have a new tool to use in their quest.

Naftzinger spoke Friday morning during a special presentation at the BCTC West Campus in Bern Township where the school announced the formation of the Berks Career and Technology Center Education Foundation. The foundation will raise funds and resources to help support BCTC students like Naftzinger.

“Essentially, it will provide some exceptional opportunities for our students and add to what we’re normally able to provide,” said Dr. Michael Stauffer, BCTC’s executive director.

The idea to create an educational foundation — something that most school districts in the county have done — started a few years ago. The plan was delayed a bit by the COVID-19 pandemic but has come to fruition.

Through donations and fundraising efforts, the foundation will provide assistance for economically challenged students, offer scholarships, host student leadership conferences and seminars, help students buy equipment and tools they need to start their careers, provide grants for educators and otherwise support everything happening on the school’s campuses in Bern and Oley townships.

Jason Feiertag, BCTC’s director of finance and one of the leaders of the effort to create the foundation, said BCTC, like most schools, has had to work within the strict confines of tight budgets. The school’s $20 million annual budget is funded mostly by the 16 local districts that BCTC serves.

“It puts a lot of extra stress on the school districts,” he said.

The nature of career and technical education, Feiertag said, makes it particularly expensive. There’s all sorts of pricey tools and material that are needed to properly educate students.

And that cost is sometimes passed onto students, he added. Feiertag said that, for example, students in the cosmetology program have to buy kits that cost $600 to $700.

Money raised through the foundation will help cover some of those costs, particularly for students with financial need. It will also help pay for students to take part in competitions across the U.S. — last year students took part in events in Atlanta, San Diego and Nashville — and support various special projects.

“All of those things are expensive,” Feiertag said. “We’d like to be able to support our students in a better way, in a different way.”

In order to do that, the foundation will need help from the community. And it’s already received some.

Feiertag said the foundation has already received about $40,000 in donations. Part of that is through the creation of the W. Clarke Hammond Culinary Institute of America Award.

The award is a scholarship program funded by the family of W. Clarke Hammond, a former culinary instructor at BCTC who passed away in November 2021.

The foundation has also received donations from local businesses through the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit program.

Feiertag said the foundation is still trying to get its footing, but will likely pursue some fundraising events in the future. He suggested ideas like a food truck festival or gold tournament.

But before those types of things happen, the foundation needs to find some leadership.

At the moment, its board is made up of the BCTC’s board. However, an independent board needs to be created.

Feiertag said the foundation is looking for potential members to serve on the seven-member board. He said he hopes to have it up and running by March.

Anyone interested in serving on the board can contact Feiertag at 610-374-4071, extension 2200 or JPFeiertag@berkscareer.com.

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