Steve Wash, occupational education department chair and industrial technology teacher at Batesburg-Leesville High School in Batesburg, created the school's industrial education program from scratch. Mr. Wash even built his own classroom, which surpassed the rest of the school in its modernity. His electives are now typically filled to capacity, challenging students' creativity and developing teamwork skills. Students build functional race cars and catapults and experiment with robotics and pneumatics. A former president of the state's Industrial Technology Education (ITE) chapter and the South Carolina Technology Education Association, he received an international award for the school's industrial technology program. Mr. Wash is actively involved in the Technology Student Association and serves as the district's Webmaster.
