News Detail

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (May 8th, 2026) — What does a student do when they have many interests and many curriculum options to choose from during their high school years? For Tim Lichter, the choice was made through taking a few of the many introductory courses provided at Williamsport Area High School (WAHS). Lichter was able to select a program that not only suited him, but also allowed him to combine his different passions. 

Lichter, a senior in the Precision Machining Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program at WAHS, took a few classes during his freshman year that opened his eyes to many career possibilities. One of the classes, Introduction to Precision Machining, showed him the technical, hands-on side of work that he was looking for: “I took the [intro] program freshman year because I knew I wanted to work with my hands. I am so glad that I did.”

With his interest peaking in machining, he was thriving. At the same time, he was also taking a music theory class; one of his general education courses. Lichter, being a musician, had a light-bulb moment when he realized these two courses could inspire each other. After listening to the band Primus and developing a deep interest in the bass guitar, he was inspired to create something that tied both passions, music and machining, together.

The project started as a plain slab of aluminum; something that had no purpose at the time until Lichter was able to bring his idea to life. He began by creating a design in his head, brainstorming ideas, and then programming the machines once the vision became clear. After weeks of programming, he was able to transform the unused piece of aluminum by intricately shaping the body of his very own bass guitar. The detail that went into this project was nothing short of precise.

When asked about the honeycomb design on the front, Tim shared that it was a carefully thought-out detail: “A typical bass guitar is 7 to 8 pounds. I had to keep in mind the weight distribution when creating my own. Aluminum is heavy, so I had to design a way to cut weight off of the guitar. The shapes were intentional, but also add to the design element. It looks cool.”

It looks cool, indeed, and Tim also added that it sounds cool too…just like a “normal” bass guitar.
From start to finish, Tim enjoyed the project, but his favorite part was assembly. “Seeing it come together as an actual guitar felt awesome,” said Tim. “Now I get to leave high school with a tangible item that I take pride in and that is meaningful to me.”

Williamsport Area School District’s CTE program offers students opportunities to find work that connects with them. Every student has unique interests, and at Williamsport, they are able to explore those interests. Tim shared advice with students who are entering high school and learning about all that CTE has to offer: “I hope future students consider the CTE program and pick something that truly inspires them and that they are interested in, not to take something just because they feel like they have to or because their friends are. You can truly get something out of being in a program that suits you.”

Lichter also spoke about the quality of the programs at the high school. “CTE at Williamsport is extremely helpful not only in our high school careers, but beyond. I know that I want to stay in Williamsport for a while after graduation, and I have seen that employers really want us because the programs we have here are just that good. They want the style of work that we are taught in the classroom to be in their workspaces.”

Tim will walk away from this experience with a tangible reminder that no matter what passions someone may pursue, it’s possible to bring them together and create something truly special. And, above all, he walks away with a show-stopping, hand-crafted, and awesome-sounding guitar.

###