07/15/08 Yakima People

Perry Tech honors students of month

Leading by example means taking leadership roles, achieving high grades and exhibiting outstanding character. At least, those are the traits that lead Perry Technical Institute to name Robert McChesney and Randall King its July co-students of the month.

Both McChesney and King are students in Perry's electrical technology program. Both have been lauded for their pride and commitment in helping their classmates achieve higher goals and expectations. Both have 4.0 grade-point averages and are on target to graduate from the two-year program in October 2009.

McChesney is a native of Ridgefield, Wash., and enrolled at Perry after serving six years in the Air Force. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career as a maintenance electrician.

King was born in Tacoma and raised in Tulsa, Okla. He returned to Washington after graduating from high school. In addition to attending Perry, King tutors fellow students for his work study position and holds down three other part-time jobs. After graduation, King plans to earn journeyman status and to eventually go back to school and earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.

Sundown M Ranch counselor wins award

A Yakima man was recently honored for his work in the field of chemical dependency.

H. Charles Buttrey, clinical director of Sundown M Ranch in Selah, received an Exemplary Treatment Award for his dedication to the field.

He was one of seven people to be given the award during the Washington State Institute on Addictions Treatment convention in Yakima in late June.

National and local experts in the field of chemical dependency attended the three-day meeting.

Buttrey, 63, grew up in Wapato and has worked at Sundown M since 1977.

The institute is sponsored by the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse in the Department of Social and Health Services' Health and Recovery Services Administration.

-- Yakima Herald-Repulbic