The Technical Education Department offers popular courses such as Metalworking and CAD. CTE classes and programs allow students to explore careers in the realms of architecture, engineering, and the tech industry. Every February, Morris Hills has a tradition of celebrating its CTE program by choosing one of the many talented students to name “CTE Student of the Year.” This year, the CTE department is proud to honor the hard work and dedication of senior Cavan Finnegan-Bendsen. 

Cavan has taken an impressive number of these courses, including Introduction to Woodworking, Cabinet Making and Furniture Design, Television Production, Metalworking, CAD I & II, Architectural Design and Engineering Design. Many of these courses require precision and accuracy paired with a keen eye for detail. Students like Cavan who excel in these areas have a willingness to learn the fundamentals, as well as a drive to pursue more advanced projects to challenge themselves.

When he first started out at Morris Hills, Cavan had no idea where his journey would take him. However, after taking some introductory CTE courses, Cavan soon realized that engineering and architecture were for him. As a result of his dedication to the program and completion of core CTE courses, Cavan will soon receive official certification from the American Design Drafting Association as an Apprentice Drafter. 

Cavan notes that his favorite project of all time during his years at Morris Hills is the vase he made in Mr. Feakins’ class. He remembers just how intricate and complex the design of the vase was, as it required specialized pieces of wood to be used in an alternating pattern. Just to give you an idea of how much skill this requires, below is a picture of the instrument, called a lathe, that is used to make wooden vases.

After graduating Morris Hills, Cavan hopes to embark on a journey at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he looks forward to continuing with an area he enjoys, creativity and building. Regardless of which school he attends, his plans are to major in either Mechanical Engineering or Architecture. The one thing that drives him and motivates him is the satisfaction of a finished product, as he remarks that it’s “rewarding to see what you’ve built and creating something that you can call your own.”