Chamber, R-7 community celebrate SoMoTech rebranding

More than five dozen students, current and past faculty, representatives of West Plains R-7 School District administration and members of the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce gathered Oct. 25 to christen the recently renamed Southern Missouri Technical Institute (SoMoTech), formerly the South Central Career Center. Norris Cozort was in attendance as an instructor that taught at the vocational school at its beginning. The facility is operated by the West Plains R-7 district, and accepts high school and adult students in training programs in agriculture, auto body and collision repair, auto mechanics technology, carpentry, commercial and advertising art, culinary arts, drafting technology, family and consumer science, and health sciences including practical nursing, surgical technology and welding. It is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and several program-specific accrediting agencies. Cutting the ribbon is SoMoTech Director Dr. Josh Cotter, who spearheaded the process to change the name. With him, to his right, are School Board President Jim Thompson and Superintendent Dr. Wes Davis.