CBTECH Director's Message

Director’s Message

As with all things, change is inevitable.  I am retiring on June 30, 2026. 

The Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center is a vision that started long ago in 1980 with a feasibility grant of $10,000 that was awarded through Big Bend Community College.  Another feasibility study was completed in 2010, funded through OSPI and led by the Moses Lake School District and the guru of Education in Washington State, a man by the name of Gene Sharrat. I, at that time, was learning by firehose and gleaning everything I could from a man I never imagined I would have the privilege to be mentored by.  He was kind, patient, a builder of confidence, and one of the most knowledgeable educators I have ever known. Michele Price was the superintendent at the time and supported all our ideas and everything we did.

We interviewed 17 of the largest employers in 2010, asking about skill sets and programs they wanted us to offer.  In the end, they all said the same thing.  We want employees who are “On time, every day, with a positive attitude”.  They said if we can send them students with those qualities, they can teach them the rest. That became the CBTECH motto.

Eleven years later, we are a powerhouse of teacher leaders, secretaries, custodians, kitchen staff, and bus drivers who work hard, support one another, and truly care for each other.  Here at CBTECH, we are a family.  We care deeply about our students and each other's success, and we treat every student as if they were our own.

This school is a reflection of my own family.  My dad's unwavering support and leadership brought us up and shaped all 5 of us.  My mother’s kindness and listening ear grounded me.  My brothers and sisters patiently listened when I needed to vent.  My sister stepped in to help care for our youngest son, being “mom” while I worked 15-hour days with NAC Architecture from Spokane to design the building.  My sons, who accepted my distractions and let mom dream big. Lastly, my husband, who has never once complained about the hours I work. They have all been a huge part of my success.

This is not a sad separation, but one of joy, knowing that I got to do something others just dream about. I feel like I’m the most blessed person in the world sometimes, but it’s time for new leadership and the next step forward for the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center. I look forward to continued growth and innovation as new leadership puts their spin on the next generation of the Grant County Workforce. 

Thank you for all your support, 

Christine Armstrong