Hands-On Trades Simulators Roll into Local High School Today
De Armanville, AL · September 9, 2026
Watching that massive mobile workshop pull past the school turnoff confirms that class routines are shifting today. For the next three days, local teenagers are swapping pencil sharpeners for heavy excavator joysticks.
The Lead
A high-tech fleet of simulators rolled onto the Oxford High School campus this morning as the statewide Be Pro Be Proud Alabama mobile workshop kicks off a three-day residency. The 53-foot customized training trailer, sponsored by the Alabama State Department of Education, brings commercial driving rigs, heavy excavator controls, diesel engine stations, and virtual welding setups directly to students across the district.
The initiative aims to demystify high-demand technical careers and connect local teens with immediate post-graduation apprenticeships throughout Calhoun County. Instead of listening to traditional career lectures, students spend their class periods operating virtual backhoes and practicing precision welds under the guidance of industry specialists. Oxford students will cycle through small group simulations during regular school hours through Friday afternoon, before the traveling unit packs up for its next tour stop.
Local Pulse
- Calhoun County Commission Convenes Thursday Morning Commissioners meet tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Anniston to review county infrastructure contracts, grant resolutions, and administrative business.
Today's Outlook
- High 94°F · Low 69°F — Mainly clear
- Pack sunglasses and keep water handy for an unseasonably warm, bright afternoon.
What's On Around Town
Oxford: Chamber Lunch & Leads Mangos Cantina and Grill (196 Spring Branch Rd), 12:00–1:00 PM Casual business networking over lunch to swap contacts and share leads.
Anniston: Youth Gymnastics Class Carver Community Center (720 W 14th St), 3:30–6:30 PM Introductory tumbling and recreation drills for young gymnasts to build balance.
Oxford: High School Flag Football Oxford High School (1 Yellow Jacket Dr), 5:00 PM Cheer on the Lady Yellow Jackets against Hewitt-Trussville and Talladega.
Oxford: Mid-Week Community Fellowship Betta View Hills Church (2140 Highway 78 W), 6:30 PM Open, all-ages evening gathering and small group discussion over coffee.
Spotlight & Story
- Oxford Lumber
- Founded in 1958 by Charles W. Newman, this family operation grew from a single rail-side yard into five regional supply centers. Longtime staff still carry heavy sacks to trucks by hand, honoring a six-decade promise of neighborly counter service.
De Armanville Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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