Congrats, grads! Fred Eberle Technical Center Class of 2025 celebrates achievements

Beckie Boyd
May 23, 2025

The Fred Eberle Technical Center Class of 2025 celebrated their graduation at Wesley Chapel, recognizing outstanding instructors, scholarship recipients, and dozens of students who completed trade programs in fields ranging from welding to cosmetology.

The end of an era. The beginning of their futures.

The Fred W. Eberle Technical Center Class of 2025 received their diplomas on Tuesday with eyes set on their next chapter.

Fred W. Eberle Technical Center administration and faculty cheered on graduates as each diploma was awarded to students who had completed their respective trade programs. Proud families watched as their graduates walked across the stage at the graduation ceremony, hosted at Wesley Chapel on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon.

FETC Director Rebecca Bowers-Call welcomed families and special guests to this ceremony.

“Out of the 18 instructors with us tonight, 12 of them are alumni of technical centers. Nine of those alumni are Fred Eberle Technical Center alumni. They get you. They chose you. They are here because they want to give back to their industry and their communities what has been given to them. They want you to have the opportunities they have had and so much more,” Bowers-Call said.

One trade school instructor was honored with special recognition during the ceremony Tuesday evening.

“At the end of April, we received word that the West Virginia Department of Education will be recognizing a CTE Pinnacle Teacher of the Year Award this year,” Bowers-Call said. “This is a new award that will shed more light on the amazing work that our CTE teachers do every day. Right away, we implemented the Fred Eberle Technical Center Instructor of the Year recognition. The turnaround time was quick, and your instructors are quite humble, and I know some of them didn’t even want to share the request when I asked them to ask you to share your suggestions for Teacher of the Year.”

“The committee achieved a decision, and here are just a few things that the students had to say about the amazing instructor we are recognizing tonight,” Bowers-Call read from the nominations. “This teacher constantly exhibits kindness and patience every day. This teacher cares deeply for students, and it is evident through their daily joy in teaching. Some might say this teacher doesn’t possess the ability to get mad. This teacher would do anything in their power to help those in need. ‘My teacher speaks with us about not just work, but real-life experiences and sets a good example for what we should grow up to be as people.’ ‘He has been the best teacher I could have asked for. I always look forward to coming to see him, even if I was having a bad day, his always positive attitude and kindness never failed to make my day better.’ ‘He’s a very good man, and anyone would be lucky to have him as a teacher. I couldn’t ever thank him enough.’”

“I’m going to share all the quotes with all the teachers who were nominated, but tonight, it’s my great honor to recognize Mr. Randall Cunningham as the Fred Eberle Technical Center Instructor of the Year,” Bowers-Call said.

The large crowd roared with enthusiasm as Cunningham received a one-of-a-kind plaque and recognition in front of hundreds of onlookers.

Randall Cunningham is recognized as the Fred Eberle Technical Center Instructor of the Year. (Beckie Boyd / For My Buckhannon)

Prior to the monumental moment of the presentation of diplomas, three students received distinguished scholarship opportunities to further their education in a post-secondary setting, to recognize an abundance of inductees for the National Technical Honor Society.

The Governor’s Workforce Credential John Williams Scholarship was presented to Garrett Kelley of the FETC welding program. The Rotary Scholarship Fund was presented to Carmyn A. Smith of the FETC cosmetology program, and the Steve DeBrular Memorial Scholarship was then presented to Robert Kade Richards of the FETC Diesel Equipment Technology program.

“I hope you celebrate and relax with each other as you receive the honor of graduating from Fred W. Eberle Technical Center,” Bowers-Call advised. “Make plans for the future. I am so excited to see what lies ahead for all of you. We wish you all the best, and we know that you are ready for the challenges ahead.”

See the FETC Class of 2025 graduates below. Join My Buckhannon in congratulating the following graduates: