BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. — The Bullitt Central High School Ag Department is growing and giving students a variety of options when it comes to career-ready pathways.

One Bullitt Central husband and wife duo have mastered the concept of hands-on learning. Justin Peake teaches mechanic’s pathway and Tiphanie Peake teaches animal science.

“I talked in my animal science class and my vet science class about a way to partner with the community, with a community outside of here along with the students and helping the animals all in one,” Tiphanie said.

That partnership is helping the Humane Society of Nelson County by fostering cats in her classroom.

“The first cat was at the humane society for about two months, we had the cat for 24 hours and she was already adopted,” Tiphanie recalled. “We're partnering with them for the kids' future as well, so we're hoping to get job opportunities for them at the humane society after they graduate.”

Right next door, Justin and his students are taking a different approach.

“It's a program just to kind of integrate more science, technology, engineering, math to get the kids ready for entering the workplace,” Justin said.

Ag instructor, Justin Peake using the CNC machine in his mechanics pathway class. (Spectrum News 1/Erin Wilson)

The class is home to a CNC machine, a large metal cutting machine used for “Bullit Plasma,” a business run by ag pathway students where they create and sell products they design.

“The more technical side of the way our industry is going, I want to create opportunities for students and I want them to see the opportunities and not just stay at home and in their garage,” Justin said.

For junior Hannah Huffman, who is enrolled in both courses, she said it's a chance to learn something outside the box..

“I love learning new things and just being a part of something so uncommon or unusual. Like, normal high schools wouldn't have a machine like this,” said Huffman, an 11th grader at Bullitt Central High School.

For more information on Bullitt Plasma, email justin.peake@bullitt.kyschools.us. For more on the partnership with the Nelson County Humane Society and cat adoptions, email tiphanie.peake@bullitt.kyschools.us.