Ryan Richens, Automotive Service Technology
Ryan is a two year completer of the automotive program at National Park Technology
Center (NPTC). He will graduate from Lake Hamilton School district in the spring of
2015. Through the automotive program, Ryan has learned the importance of work ethic
and the ability to work well with others. His instructors quickly noticed his ability
to inspire his classmates and keep them on task. He demonstrates what it takes to
be successful in today’s very competitive automotive technician field. During his
program, Ryan had the opportunity to compete in the 2014 Skills USA and Ford AAA competitions.
Despite recruitment offers from Universal Technical College (UTI) and Lincoln College, Ryan
plans on continuing his education by attending the post secondary automotive program
at National Park Community College.
NPTC (High School) Criminal Justice, Hannah Slajer
Hannah is a second year senior in the NPTC (High School) Criminal Justice Program.
She is very active in our community and is committed to helping others. The Criminal
Justice program has helped her narrow the focus of her goals, as she explored careers
as a police officer, detective, and special agent with the FBI before settling on
her decision to become a Prosecuting Attorney. Hannah plans to attend the University
of Central Arkansas and major in Political Science and Philosophy before transferring
to the University of Arkansas law school.
Hospitality, Spencer Gaither
Spencer Gaither entered the NPC Hospitality program in 2013 and is on-track to graduate
in May 2015. Certified by the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel
and Lodging Association, he is the recipient of the 2014 Franz Vitbauer Hospitality
Scholarship. He has always been interested in serving others. Strong-willed and dependable,
he has been an advocate for education, specifically in career and technical programs,
and has served as the Arkansas State Vice President of Public Relations for the Family,
Career and Community Leaders of America. One of the most charismatic students in class,
he has an unyielding work ethic that has made him one of the youngest managers of
the Sonic Drive-In franchises. He aspires to be either a Food and Beverage Manager
of a resort property or a training coordinator for management programs.
Early Childhood, Cheryl Holmes
Cheryl Holmes will graduate in 2015 with her Associates Degree in Early Childhood
Education. She is a full-time student and a full-time employee at a local preschool.
She came to the program hoping to gain direction and better understand her potential.
Cheryl learned first hand the limitless impact she has on the children in her class.
She credits NPC and the Early Childhood Courses for shaping her into the person she
is today, putting her on the path of becoming a leader of tomorrow. Her goal is to
further her education by transferring to Henderson State University to pursue a Bachelor’s
Degree in Education, and hopes to eventually open her own child care facility.
LHHS Concurrent Enrollment, Duncan Mullins
Duncan Mullins has taken advantage of the opportunity to take college courses concurrently
on his high school campus. He will graduate from Lake Hamilton High School in May
with a 4.3 grade point average, and is in a six way tie for salutatorian out of 360
students. He scored a 2020 out of 2400 on the SAT and 34 out of 36 on the ACT. Duncan
is actively involved in the community, accumulating over 50 hours of community service
during a school year. He intends to attend either Oklahoma State University or The
University of Texas at Austin and major in Chemical Engineering with plans to pursue
his graduate degree in that field.
