NORWOOD – Potsdam Central School student Nathan Keleher is the recipient of the Rev. William R. and Crystal E. Cuthbert Vocational Excellence Award for September 2024; sponsored by Brookfield Renewable US.
Nathan is in the Automotive Technology Program at the Seaway Career & Technical Education Center and is the child of Travis and Tammy Stephenson.
As a student in Automotive Technology, Nathan has been learning the essential skills needed to begin a career in the automotive industry. Automotive technology students gain real world and hands-on experience working in an industry standard lab setting. Students learn the fundamentals of vehicle repairs, introduction to engines, brake fundamentals, suspension and steering, drive trains and axles, NYS inspection, automotive electrical, engine performance, fuel and emissions, cost estimation and customer service skills. Students can earn up to six different certifications. College credit opportunities are also offered.
Upon completion of the program, Nathan has expressed an interest in furthering his education in the automotive field or in the veterinary science field.

Mr. Michael Ells, Instructor, has said the following about Nathan: “He is very respectful to adults and his peers. He has leadership skills and is a natural at helping others. He is a visual learner and has the ability to see things and understand how they work. His ability to take what he has learned in the classroom and transfer that to hands-on skills in the shop is extraordinary. He is a pleasure to have as a student”.