James Wasser Lights the Way to KACC
A few weeks ago, James Wasser approached Director Fay with some really great news……He wanted to purchase and install a new outdoor flood lamp to fully illuminate our beautiful globe located at our school entrance.
The picture hardly captures the wonderful lighting surrounding our globe – a symbol of the logo and mottos for both the Kankakee Area Career Center (KACC) and the Kankakee Area Regional Vocational Education System (KARVES). Director Fay stated he “can’t even begin to thank Mr. Wasser for his donation of time, talent and treasure. He has always been there for the Career Center in one way or another.” Mr. Fay decided this is a story which needs to be told.
James R. Wasser is a retired member of the IBEW Local 176 out of Joliet Illinois. Mr. Wasser has over 40 years of service and experience with Local 176 and has enjoyed his career and his fellow Local 176 Members.
To give you a little idea of how Mr. Wasser has been "Lighting the way to KACC," a little history seems in order.
Mr. Wasser started his very first year of apprenticeship working on the construction of the Kankakee Area Career Center with Zaborac Electric in the early 1970’s. Having a passion for education, Mr. Wasser served on the Kankakee District 111 school board from 1993 until 2005.
The region-wide entity overseeing career and technical education is KARVES. Mr. Wasser joined the KARVES Advisory Committee in 1993 and remained an active member, serving first as co-chairman and then as chairman from1993 until 2005.
Even after Mr. Wasser stepped down from the KARVES Advisory Committee, he continued to play an active role, periodically helping with KACC’s Construction Program in the area of conduit bending and electrical items.
Mr. Wasser has also been a return guest speaker at KARVES’ annual 8th Grade Career Days – A Career Exploration Opportunity typically attended by around 1,400 eighth graders from as far north as Beecher and as far south as Watseka. He is one of our favorite speakers and addresses the 8th graders in an honest, adult manner, offering great insight into the general skills needed to succeed in any career.
As anyone can see, Mr. Wasser’s roots run deep when it comes to vocational education and the important part it plays out with young men and women’s careers. He says the “Kankakee Area Career Center is the best kept secret in Kankakee County.” He believes the “Perception that the Career Center is for young men and women who cannot succeed other places is absolutely false!”