Career center presents 2011 Pentagon Award and other honors
The person whose voice most people hear first when they call the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center and an area agency that has helped students get college credit for their vocational courses are the recipients this year of the school’s highest honor. Connie Hootman and the North Central State College Tech Prep Consortium received 2011 Pentagon awards at the school’s annual recognition program May 10 in the career center commons.
The Pentagon Award is presented annually to an individual or organization for outstanding contributions to the school. Hootman is a 12-year veteran of the career center, handling telephone duties, student fees, field trips, employee personal leave and substitute teachers.
“I was shocked,” Hootman said about hearing her name announced for the award. “Then it made me happy and impressed they even considered me for the award.”
Hootman joined the career center staff in December 1999, just before Christmas break, after working for a number of years in part-time jobs at churches in Loudonville and Hayesville. She said working with the career center students is the best part of her job.
The North Central State College (NCSC) Tech Prep Consortium in Mansfield is best known for its role of creating articulation agreements that give students college credit for qualified high school work and programs of study (POS) between the career center and area colleges. In addition, the consortium has provided annual college ready COMPASS assessment testing for students as they enter and exit their programs.
“The value of the articulated credit that students have earned throughout the years that the NCSC Tech Prep Consortium has partnered with our school would probably equal hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said career center superintendent Mike McDaniel. “Student scholarships awarded to our students by the consortium have made the difference for many of our students in their ability to achieve their goals of a college degree.”
McDaniel emphasized that without the link to higher education partners, the career center would not be able to maintain the high performance standards needed to prepare students for work and continuing education. He said the relationship is becoming increasingly important as the school converts all career tech programs to tech prep by 2012.
The director of the NCSC Tech Prep Consortium, Tom Kluding, said he was “extra pleased” with the award, calling it a real honor. “Having worked at the career center, I know the origin of the Pentagon Award and how it started,” he said. “It speaks highly of our work and our partnership.”
Kluding noted that the career center’s new bioscience program is a good example of the collaborative effort between the school and consortium. He said the dialogue between the institutions created by the consortium made for a better working relationship.
The career center also presented its annual Outstanding Alumni award to Jon Burkholder of Hayesville. The Outstanding Alumni award is presented to a career center student who graduated at least five years prior and is based on criteria such as work history, community involvement, giving back to the school, post graduation education and other personal qualities that are reviewed by a nine-member committee.
Burkholder is a 1981 graduate of the career center automotive technology program. He worked in local auto repair for a number of years and is currently the career center automotive technology tech prep instructor.
The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center also gave special recognition to school teachers and support staff for 2011. Barry Sponsler, graphic communications teacher, is the Secondary Educator of the Year; Frank Cepero, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) instructor, is the Adult Educator of the Year; and Lesa Deter, payroll clerk, is Support Staff Person of the Year. All three received plaques honoring their achievements and accomplishments during the May 10 ceremony.
Also as part of the awards program, 15 students were inducted into the National Vocational Technical Honor Society (NVTHS). They include juniors: Jordan Burgett, Hillsdale, cosmetology; Whitney Cadwallader, Mapleton, business; Hunter Cline, Hillsdale, cosmetology; Edward Hale, Ashland, criminal justice; Ryan Kimble, Mapleton, resource conservation; Hannah Marker, Ashland, business; Allison Retherford, Hillsdale, health tech; Colin Shriver, West Holmes, auto tech; Corinthia Sowers, West Holmes, cosmetology; and Steven Wilt, Ashland, auto body.
Seniors inducted include: Jonathan Bright, Ashland, interactive media; Mallory Brown, Mapleton, early childhood education; Leann Howell, Mapleton, health tech; Hershel Lambert, Mapleton, culinary; and Nicholas Rangel, Mapleton, bioscience.
Students inducted into the National Vocational Technical Honor Society are chosen based on seven attributes required for membership, including outstanding career-technical skills, honesty, service, responsibility, scholarship, citizenship and leadership. The career center is a charter member that was established when NVTHS organized in 1990 throughout the United States.
The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center also recognized secondary students for outstanding career technical achievement, skills competition, school and community service, academic achievement and attendance.
The Pentagon Award is presented annually to an individual or organization for outstanding contributions to the school. Hootman is a 12-year veteran of the career center, handling telephone duties, student fees, field trips, employee personal leave and substitute teachers.
“I was shocked,” Hootman said about hearing her name announced for the award. “Then it made me happy and impressed they even considered me for the award.”
Hootman joined the career center staff in December 1999, just before Christmas break, after working for a number of years in part-time jobs at churches in Loudonville and Hayesville. She said working with the career center students is the best part of her job.
The North Central State College (NCSC) Tech Prep Consortium in Mansfield is best known for its role of creating articulation agreements that give students college credit for qualified high school work and programs of study (POS) between the career center and area colleges. In addition, the consortium has provided annual college ready COMPASS assessment testing for students as they enter and exit their programs.
“The value of the articulated credit that students have earned throughout the years that the NCSC Tech Prep Consortium has partnered with our school would probably equal hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said career center superintendent Mike McDaniel. “Student scholarships awarded to our students by the consortium have made the difference for many of our students in their ability to achieve their goals of a college degree.”
McDaniel emphasized that without the link to higher education partners, the career center would not be able to maintain the high performance standards needed to prepare students for work and continuing education. He said the relationship is becoming increasingly important as the school converts all career tech programs to tech prep by 2012.
The director of the NCSC Tech Prep Consortium, Tom Kluding, said he was “extra pleased” with the award, calling it a real honor. “Having worked at the career center, I know the origin of the Pentagon Award and how it started,” he said. “It speaks highly of our work and our partnership.”
Kluding noted that the career center’s new bioscience program is a good example of the collaborative effort between the school and consortium. He said the dialogue between the institutions created by the consortium made for a better working relationship.
The career center also presented its annual Outstanding Alumni award to Jon Burkholder of Hayesville. The Outstanding Alumni award is presented to a career center student who graduated at least five years prior and is based on criteria such as work history, community involvement, giving back to the school, post graduation education and other personal qualities that are reviewed by a nine-member committee.
Burkholder is a 1981 graduate of the career center automotive technology program. He worked in local auto repair for a number of years and is currently the career center automotive technology tech prep instructor.
The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center also gave special recognition to school teachers and support staff for 2011. Barry Sponsler, graphic communications teacher, is the Secondary Educator of the Year; Frank Cepero, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) instructor, is the Adult Educator of the Year; and Lesa Deter, payroll clerk, is Support Staff Person of the Year. All three received plaques honoring their achievements and accomplishments during the May 10 ceremony.
Also as part of the awards program, 15 students were inducted into the National Vocational Technical Honor Society (NVTHS). They include juniors: Jordan Burgett, Hillsdale, cosmetology; Whitney Cadwallader, Mapleton, business; Hunter Cline, Hillsdale, cosmetology; Edward Hale, Ashland, criminal justice; Ryan Kimble, Mapleton, resource conservation; Hannah Marker, Ashland, business; Allison Retherford, Hillsdale, health tech; Colin Shriver, West Holmes, auto tech; Corinthia Sowers, West Holmes, cosmetology; and Steven Wilt, Ashland, auto body.
Seniors inducted include: Jonathan Bright, Ashland, interactive media; Mallory Brown, Mapleton, early childhood education; Leann Howell, Mapleton, health tech; Hershel Lambert, Mapleton, culinary; and Nicholas Rangel, Mapleton, bioscience.
Students inducted into the National Vocational Technical Honor Society are chosen based on seven attributes required for membership, including outstanding career-technical skills, honesty, service, responsibility, scholarship, citizenship and leadership. The career center is a charter member that was established when NVTHS organized in 1990 throughout the United States.
The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center also recognized secondary students for outstanding career technical achievement, skills competition, school and community service, academic achievement and attendance.
Published: May 19, 2011
