This year marks the 10th annual Octorara Agriculture, Business, Environmental Science & Technology (OABEST) Expo, an event designed to showcase the best of Octorara. To mark the anniversary, organizers are promising an even greater program of activities for people of all ages.

Set for Saturday, May 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the school grounds at Octorara Junior-Senior High School, 228 Highland Road, Atglen, the attractions will include a petting zoo, crafters and vendors, food trucks and children's games.

Octorara students will display their artwork, and there will be student musical performances, including numbers from this past year's production of "Shrek the Musical." New at OABEST this year will be Critter Connections, which will display reptiles and insects.

Members of the Octorara Area Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs' student advisory board are helping to organize the event along with Mark Peticca, Octorara's director of career and technical education, and Rebecca German, CTE director administrator assistant. The group has been meeting to plan the event since January.

In addition to the activities already mentioned, other highlights will include a performance by Russell's Dance and Baton Studio; displays by the Parkesburg Free Library, Parkesburg Action Committee (PAC), Octorara YMCA and Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania; Octorara organizations, including field hockey, Football Boosters and Youth Football and Cheer; and displays by local fire companies and first responders.

"Especially if it is nice outside, the EMTs and the fire trucks draw a lot of people," said German, noting that there will be first responder demonstrations. "Our students will be outside with the animals, including our baby goats."

"Tractors are (also) a big draw," added Peticca, noting that OABEST attracts between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors each year.

Each CTE program will be represented at the event, including Business, Marketing and Entrepreneurship; Carpentry and Woodworking; Culinary and Baking/Pastry Arts; Design and Illustration; Engineering and Drafting Technology; Child Care Education; and Mechanical Systems Technology. "The Culinary Arts program will sell cookies, and Child Care will be selling tie-dye shirts," Peticca noted.

In addition to having their own tables, the departments will sell handmade items. "All of our programs are coming together to build, manufacture and sell products," explained Business and Marketing student Ruchika Arora. "We will have end tables, some coasters handmade from wood, and we will sell home-baked cookies that children from the younger schools will decorate (under the direction of the Child Care Education students)."

Some students designed the tables, while others helped in their construction. "We made a 3D image of what the tables would look like," said Lucas Hoffman, Design and Illustration student.

"I took (Lucas') art concept and created the blueprints for the end tables," added Engineering and Drafting Technology student Daniel Bishop.

"We are working on building the metal base to the end tables, sourcing the material, sizing and cutting the materials and them assembling the materials," said Grant Umble, Mechanical Systems Technology student.

Johan Torres is part of the Carpentry and Woodworking program. "We were in charge of the wooden tabletops and making coasters," he said, noting the coasters are inscribed with images of Octorara, including its mascot. "We used a laser engraver."

One of the coasters features the motto, "Empowering Students to Build Successful Futures." Students in the program wear sweatshirts with the motto and their area of study. "Our kids are proud of the programs they are in," said Peticca.

He added that the different departments were able to work together for a common goal with plans to someday sell products online to benefit the CTE programs. "What we are trying to do is marry all of the production programs. We are using OABEST as the marketplace for our products that we produce," he explained. "We want to use this (shared activity) as a springboard to opening up a business with our CTE programs. We have our design and illustration kids right here to design a website."

For more information about OABEST, visit http://www.octorara.k12.pa.us/page/oabest. Those with questions may email mpeticca@octorara.org.