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May 7, 2026

Four Rivers Career Center Celebrates 60th Birthday

Four Rivers Career Center Celebrates 60th Birthday

Four Rivers Career Center celebrated its 60th birthday on Wednesday, May 6.

Past and current staff members, along with district administrators, were on hand for a celebration following the afternoon session of classes.

FRCC Director Philip King presented a slideshow of the history of the career center. School District of Washington Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Kephart also spoke.

The first day of vocation educational courses took place on August 29, 1966, at what is now the west wing of Washington High School.

A new building was completed and occupied for the Area Vocational-Technical School in time for the 1969-70 school year. Students chose to rename the facility Four Rivers Area Vocational-Technical School in the 1970-71 school year.

A timeline of events is below:

 

1972-73 School Year

● Industrial Welding program started

● Health Occupations transferred from Meramec Valley R-III High School

● Pacific, Sullivan, and New Haven all joined Four Rivers

● Enrollment - 389

1973-74 School Year

● Enrollment - 473

● Union returned to sending students

● St. Francis Borgia and Wright City joined Four Rivers

1974-75 School Year

● Warrenton joined Four Rivers

For the 1979-80 school year, the following additions were made:

● Nine High Schools

Warrenton, Wright City, Sullivan, St. Clair, Meramec Valley R-III, Union, New Haven, St. Francis Borgia, Washington

● New additions built

Graphic Communications

Auto Body Repair

Machine Shop

Industrial Maintenance

Career Development Program moved from South Point School

● Program Expansions

   Cooperative Education

   Auto Mechanics

In 2003 DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) had a statewide initiative to change the classification of “vocational-technical schools” to “Career Centers” to better reflect high-tech training and college-preparatory technical tracks. The facility then became Four Rivers Career Center.

The first school year in the current building was 2005-06.

The CAPS programs began in the 2015-16 school year.

2015-16 School Year

● PLTW Engineering begins at WHS

● CAPS Pathways to the Teaching Profession Class

2016-17 School Year

● PLTW Bio-Medical begins at WHS

● CAPS Business Ignite and Business Alliance

2017-18 School Year

● CAPS Business

● PLTW Engineering begins at FRCC

2018-19 School Year

● PLTW Bio-Medical begins at FRCC.

Four Rivers Career Center currently has an enrollment of over 600 students. 

 

Image commemorating FRCC's 60th anniversary, featuring a vintage photo.

A rectangular cake with white frosting and red decorations, celebrating 60 years.

A presenter speaks to an audience seated in green chairs during a presentation.

A man speaks at a podium to an audience seated in green chairs.

A speaker addresses an audience seated in a modern conference room.

A woman speaks at a podium during a presentation, with an audience seated in green chairs.

A man points to a building floor plan displayed on a large screen.

A presentation slide titled 'FBCE - Early Years' with text and a vintage yearbook page.

A presentation slide with text and a vintage black and white photo collage.

A vintage photo shows a group of people seated at a table.

A group of people pose for a group photo, likely a team or colleagues.

A group of people pose for a photo indoors, likely a class or team.

A large group of people pose for a photo outdoors in front of autumn foliage.

Four Rivers Career Center Staff 2022-23