You never know where hope for the future of our state and country may come from. In one brief shining day, I found the future — represented by the youth of central Maine enrolled in the Business Academy curriculum at the Capital Area Technical Center in Augusta.

A phone call from a longtime friend unexpectedly catapulted me into a classroom at the technical center. Former Augusta Councilor Mike Byron, becoming known as “Mr. Mike, the Super Sub,” wanted me to be a guest lecturer in the technical center business class where he is a substitute teacher. I remember telling Mike previously, “When one door closes, another one will open for you.”

As I arrived at the technical center, I was greeted by Jim Holland, the school’s director, who had been a teacher for many years before becoming an administrator. I learned that he and receptionist Jody Beaulieu, a 37-year veteran there, know one of my daughters, Tammy, a special education teacher at Cony High School. Their effusive praise of her filled me with pride.

Jody tipped me off that there would be a fire drill. I was therefore the only one not surprised when the alarm went off, and we all headed out into the bright light of a warm, perfect September day. I was impressed by the discipline and maturity shown by hundreds of students who poured out onto the campus grounds.

Upon returning to the classroom to talk about how to market a business, I reviewed the roster of the two classes in which I would participate. In addition to kids from Cony, most students had come in buses from the other “sending” schools throughout central Maine: Maranacook, Winthrop, Monmouth, Erskine, Hall-Dale, Gardiner and Richmond.

I had wondered how many of the students would be girls interested in business; I was a little surprised to discover they easily outnumbered the boys.

These classes, filled with juniors and seniors, teach to the specific interests of these youngsters. What they learn here will help them become successful entrepreneurs.

As I observed the class respectfully responding to the teacher, it became obvious that these students were there because they have hopes and dreams. They plan to do something meaningful with their lives. Several of these young people — bright, engaging, full of ideas — will create new businesses and jobs, hopefully here in Maine.

As I shared with them some business experiences from my life, they asked good questions. They shared their ideas for new businesses, speaking with passion and conviction.

I found real hope for the future in this classroom, full of youthful energy and confidence that America is still the greatest country in the world in which to establish a successful business.

The technical center provides many opportunities for specific job training, an essential part of our educational system.

Here you can learn how to become an accomplished chef, an auto technician, or many other choices.

At the end of the day, Holland entered the classroom to give students some good news. After unexpectedly losing their business instructor before the school year began, a highly qualified candidate has been chosen for the position and will arrive in a couple of weeks. Best of all, Holland announced, this assures that students, upon successful completion of their course, will earn up to an amazing 30 credits toward college.

Many people have contributed to the success of what is known as the Business Academy at technical center.

One is Mayor Dave Rollins, who as a city councilor was a chief promoter of the idea of bringing students from all over central Maine together to study business and to hopefully become the area’s next entrepreneurs.

Rollins and others were adamant about the need for “a business boot camp,” and still hope to expand on the idea. I would like to see a basic course in financial literacy added to high school curriculum everywhere.

I want to thank “Mr. Mike” (who will now move back to Cony classrooms) for the opportunity to share his technical center students’ confident exuberance for the future.

They gave me new hope for Maine and America and made me feel young again.

Don Roberts, a former city councilor and former vice chairman of the Charter Commission in Augusta, is a trustee of the Greater Augusta Utility District.