Colten Stepke

Colten Stepke, a very accomplished and dedicated youth leader, has talents and work ethic hard to come by in a 19 year old college student. Colten, or Colt as the students of the Shop Rat Education Program call him, began his career at 14 years old. He was always fascinated with mechanical things and after attending an open house at Classic Turning, a Precision CNC Machining Company for the Aerospace, Medical and Automotive Industries, he pushed the owner, Scott Brockie to allow him to work cleaning machines, and keeping coolant filled before and after classes at Napoleon High School. Scott Brockie saw so much potential in Colten that he was able to have Colten begin the precision machining program at the Jackson Area Career Center one year before students usually begin. He has been recognized by many including the Student of the Year Award by the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association in 2007. He takes interest in educating the youth in hands on careers, even organizes Open Houses at Classic Turning for local youth to come in and see what opportunities exists. As a very talented CNC machinist, he started as a student of the Shop Rat Education Program and with time has become the 'machine' instructor for the Program. He is currently attending classes at Jackson Community College.