Northwest Kansas Technical College commencement set for Friday

GOODLAND, Kansas --Northwest Kansas Technical College is pleased to announce the Class of 2012 Commencement Ceremony.

Northwest Kansas Technical College is hosting the annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 25, at the Max Jones Field House in Goodland, Kansas at 1:30 p.m. mdt.

The Class of 2012 Northwest Tech graduating class will be graduating 156 students.

The commencement speaker is Carol Laws. She was born and raised in Leoti, Kansas, graduating from Wichita County High School in 1978. After attending Southwestern College she spent a year as a custom harvester and many years as a stay-at-home mom to her three children. In 1997 she returned to Leoti to open a truck repair shop with her husband Terry. After serving six years as the Deputy County Treasurer she was appointed County Treasurer in September 2011.

She is an active member of the Wichita County Amusement association, currently serving as treasurer. She is the director of the Community Theater, the past president of the Wichita County Community Foundation, and has served in school districts as parent volunteer, para, substitute teacher, and school board member in both Missouri and Kansas. She has been on the Northwest Kansas Technical College board of control since 2006.

One of the highlights of the ceremony is the announcement of the Student of the Year. Fifteen outstanding Northwest Tech students were selected as finalists for the Student of the Year award. Local finalists for Student of the Year are as follows:

Jacob Pankonin, Automotive Technology -- Imperial, Nebraska

Patrick Lorens, Communications Technology -- Stratton, Nebraska

Amanda Pankonin, Computer Graphics -- Wauneta, Nebraska

Jill Bracelin, Cosmetology -- St. Francis, Kansas

Arthur Larson, HVAC/R -- Atwood, Kansas

Local graduates are:

Atwood, Kansas: Chance Marble, Associate of Applied Science, auto tech, National Technical Honor Society; Andrew Huntington, Associate of Applied Science, diesel; Arthur Larson, Associate of Applied Science, HVAC/R, Student of the Year nominee; and Devin Simon, tech certification, welding.

Benkelman, Nebraska: Scott Warman, Associate of Applied Science, respiratory therapy.

Bird City, Kansas: Alexander Hengen, Associate of Applied Science, diesel.

Dresden, Kansas: John Meitl, Associate of Applied Science, diesel.

Imperial, Nebraska: Jacob Pankonin, Associate of Applied Science, auto tech, Student of the Year nominee, National Technical Honor Society.

Maywood, Nebraska: Peyton Littell, Associate of Applied Science, auto tech, National Technical Honor Society.

Selden, Kansas: Sunnie Fredrickson, Associate of Applied Science, respiratory therapy

St. Francis, Kansas: Martin Church Jr., Associate of Applied Science, respiratory therapy; Cara Hunt, Associate of Applied Science, business tech; Hailey Woodcox, Associate of Applied Science, comm tech; Jill Bracelin, tech certification, cosmetology, Student of the Year nominee, National Technical Honor Society; Lucinda (Houtman) Straub, tech certification, cosmetology; Jenice Hartman, Associate of Applied Science, respiratory therapy; Anderegg Waite, Associate of Applied Science, HVAC/R.

Stratton, Nebraska: Daniel League, Associate of Applied Science, collision repair; Patrick Lorens, Associate of Applied Science, comm tech, Student of the Year nominee, National Technical Honor Society; Ryan Morris, Associate of Applied Science, respiratory therapy.

Trenton, Nebraska: Austin Oberg, tech certification, welding.

Wauneta, Nebraska: Amanda Pankonin, Associate of Applied Science, computer graphics, Student of the Year nominee, National Technical Honor Society; Joseph Kirkpatrick, Associate of Applied Science, diesel.