by Desiree D’Ambrosi, Commercial Art Class of 2026

“You don’t have to be the best, as long as you are trying your best.”

Mr. Pavia, Your New Assistant Principal!

In the past month, there has been a “new,” but very familiar, face walking the halls of LCCTC. Many of you may know him as the previous Health Assistant teacher here at Lawrence County CTC, but today, this face is your new Assistant Principal, Mr. Pavia!, and he is very excited to begin this year in this new role!

Mr. Pavia has been a member of LCCTC for over a decade, and during his tenure, he has been an active member of both the LCCTC and Lawrence County communities. He has been an amazing instructor for Health Assistant, and before becoming a staff member at LCCTC, he was an EMT and a Nursing Supervisor. Mr. Pavia has been changing and saving lives for years before and during his time at LCCTC.

This summer, Mr. Pavia was offered the role of Assistant Principal at LCCTC. He described it as a “tough decision to make because it meant having to leave the Health Assistant classroom,” and shared that it was the toughest decision he has had to make since leaving nursing full-time. The Health Assistant program has been his home for the last 10 years, and he is proud of all the student accomplishments and success stories along the way. Not every day was perfect; some days included tears, other days included laughter that led to tears, but every single day mattered. Even with the challenges, he knew that in this new role, he would still be able to interact not only with his previous students but with the entire LCCTC student body, as well. He is excited to form new connections and memories with all the students here at the CTC.

Mr. Pavia began working at LCCTC in 2014. He is a proud graduate of New Castle Senior High School and the Jameson Memorial School of Nursing. His professional career began in 2010 as an EMT with Noga Ambulance Service and McGonigle Ambulance Service, an experience that sparked his passion for patient care and led him into nursing. Before joining LCCTC, he worked as an Emergency Room Nurse at Sharon Regional Health System, a position he continued every other weekend even after becoming a full-time instructor. He remained in the ER until 2022, when he transitioned into his current hospital role as the Nursing Supervisor/Administrator on Duty. He still works every other Sunday in this position, a role he feels mirrors many of the responsibilities he now has as Assistant Principal.

Mr. Pavia is also very excited to travel the halls of LCCTC with his rolling lectern and see all the great learning opportunities in both the academic classes and vocational programs. In his former roles as Class Advisor, Peer Leader Co-Advisor, and SkillsUSA Coach, he was able to meet many students outside of his own program, but now, he will “be able to more freely involve himself with activities and events going around the school.”

Since 2015, Mr. Pavia has been a strong advocate for SkillsUSA, taking great pride in the accomplishments of LCCTC students at the district, state, and national levels. He has served as chairperson for the First Aid/CPR and Nursing Assistant competitions at the district level, and he has chaperoned the SkillsUSA state competition in Hershey every year since 2015 alongside Mr. Goebel, Mrs. Weisenstein, and Mrs. McVicker, also serving as a state judge. Since 2019, he and Mrs. McVicker have had the privilege of traveling to the National Leadership Skills Competition, first in Louisville, KY, and for the past four years in Atlanta, GA.

Mr. Pavia also looks forward to working with the new principal, Mr. Orelli, and the staff, both new and veteran, here at LCCTC. Mr. Pavia and Mr. Orelli worked together as teachers from 2014 until Mr. Orelli accepted the role of Assistant Principal at Butler Vo-Tech, and now he is excited to work alongside him again in this new chapter at LCCTC.

When he is not at school or the hospital working, Mr. Pavia works with the New Castle School District as Equipment Manager for the football team. He also enjoys spending time with his 8-year-old Goldendoodle, George, who occasionally makes appearances at LCCTC.

Above all, Mr. Pavia is proud to be part of a school where students not only learn their trade but also grow into wonderful people. He is excited to begin this new year at the CTC, and he can’t wait to see what it will bring.