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LISBON -- Nearly all of the applicants of the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center's Drug Free Team have been tested recently.
The career center board of education heard an overview of the program during the October board meeting.
According to the information presented, 146 of the total 172 applicants were tested.
The test numbers were lower due to two school districts being closed the day of testing.
The Beaver Local School District was closed due to a water main break and the United Local School District was closed due to no hot water that day, according to the program report.
The career center implemented the Drug Free Team in years past in order to give area students an incentive to say no to drugs.
According to previous reports, those who opt to participate in the volunteer program can show potential employers proof of passing random drug testing.
The program also gives students another reason to say no when confronted with being asked to partake in drugs by their peers.
The random drug-testing program is non-punitive.
In other matters during the meeting, the board heard from Jordan Williams, who presented the career center's results on the 2026 Report Card.
The career center earned an overall five-star rating, with a 100 percent success rate in Career and Post Secondary Readiness category, 99 percent in both four-year and five-year graduation rate, 93.6 percent in WebXam passage rate, and 92.6 percent in post-program placement.
The board was also given an overview of the visit by US Congressman Micheal Rulli for the Explore Your Future event held on Oct. 13.
The event was presented by the Columbiana County Educational Service Center and Business Advisory Council and hosted at the career center.
During the event Rulli addressed participating students, who then were able to leave and tour local manufacturing businesses in the area.
Students then returned to the career center and were able to tour the welding, precision machining and manufacturing, construction technology, and cybersecurity and information technology programs.
In other matters during the meeting, the board approved a handful of business, including a fee proposal from Strollo Architects for the addition of a parking lot near the Adult Education Wing.
According to the proposal, the new lot would potentially feature 65 to 100 spaces, handicap accessibility, and lighting.
The proposed lump sum fee for work was $25,000.
A contract with VAZA Consulting was also approved, which included a monthly flat consulting fee of $3,000 beginning in November of this year through October of 2027 for a scope of services that includes help with grants and funding request development and support and government advocacy consultancy at both the state and federal level.
The board also accepted a $5,750 donation from the Steelcon, LLC to the welding program.
The next meeting was set for 7 p.m. Nov. 17.