LaFAYETTE — The Chambers County Board of Education officially has a new board member as Candace Lyons was sworn into office Wednesday during the regular meeting of the board of education.

Not only was it a historic moment for Lyons, who was appointed to the office Feb. 5 by Superintendent Dr. Kelli Hodge to serve as the board representative for District 2, but it was also recently-elected Judge Paul Story first swearing-in ceremony.

“I really want to be a voice for my community,” Lyons said recently to the Valley Times-News. “I have always cared deeply about the education in our area and have always wanted us to be able to compete with other schools academic-wise.”

Lyons is the daughter of the late Clifford Lyons, who previously held the same District 2 seat she assumed Wednesday night.

The prospect of following her father’s footsteps to this level of specificity is an exciting one for her, even as she makes attempts to plot her own path.

“It’s a good feeling [to follow in his footsteps],” Lyons said. “He left some big shoes to fill, I want to make him proud. I want to make my own way, but he certainly left some big shoes to fill.”

Also, at Wednesday’s meeting, Ken Sealy, Career Technical Center director, spoke in recognition of Career Technical Education Month. He brought a dozen eggs that were grown on a farm maintained by students.

“We seeded the chickens and grew them,” he said. “Most of them from chicks that have been with us their entire life.”

Sealy showed the board a slideshow of things the students in the technical center have worked on throughout the year. He said there so much more to the program than meets the eye.

“Career Tech is not that building up there,” he said, pointing across the street from the administration building. “That is just a building.”

He said there are 10 career tech programs at the building, but there are 13 in all across the district.

He said there is a graphic design program and culinary arts program at LaFayette High School and a business program at Valley High School.

Career Tech is about preparing students for the future and make sure they are ready to go once they graduate,” Sealy said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Hodge said HPM, a project management firm, and her office is still complying information about school consolidation that people wanted to know.

She didn’t go into specifics but said it involved “different scenarios” including cost and that the firm has finished the geolocation portion of the project.

She didn’t say when the next town-hall style meeting would happen but did say the consultants would be in attendance when it does happen.