"Don't Blink," such wise words from the great poet and philosopher Kenney Chesney, and they are a perfect way to describe how quickly this year has passed. With all of the excitement of moving into the new building, and getting settled in, it's very hard to believe we're already looking at the end of the school year. This group of students will always hold a special place in our history as the first group to complete their programs at Table Rock Career Center. So many of them helped move items over and then later assisted their teachers in setting up their labs and classrooms. I hope they each leave here with a sense of pride knowing they helped make this dream become a reality, as we're definitely proud of their contributions. Later this month we'll celebrate their accomplishments at awards ceremonies and graduations, but more importantly, we hope the teachers and staff have had a positive impact they will take with them throughout their lives. Best of luck to the Class of 2025!
Table Rock Career Center
From the Director's Desk
March Professionals of the Month
We are excited to recognize two students from our Construction and Project Lead the Way Engineering programs as our March Professionals of the Month. Congratulations to the following students:
Chadwick High School junior Kaleb Dry is representing the Construction program. He works in the classroom just as hard as he works on the job site. He demonstrated great leadership when the students were running the electrical in the house that is under construction. Kaleb appreciates the opportunity he has to learn multiple aspects of the construction industry. Mr. Young, his instructor, predicts, “Kaleb’s willingness to learn and his great work ethic will help him excel in any industry.”
Reeds Spring junior Brody Pettigrew is our second student being showcased from the Construction program. Brody acknowledges his appreciation for what he is learning in the Construction program because, “It will allow me to complete many home repair tasks when he eventually becomes a homeowner.” Mr. Young raves, “No matter what task he is working on, he always gives maximum effort. Many times he is alert to what needs to be completed on the job site and will take the initiative to do so, many times, without being asked.”
Hunter Pollard, a senior from Forsyth High School, is excelling in the Project Lead the Way Engineering program. Mr. Patrick, the PLTW Engineering instructor is “Impressed by his dedication to all aspects of the demands of this program of study and of his inquisitive mind.” Hunter enjoys reverse engineering many different things just to see how they work. He is looking forward to pursuing a degree in engineering at College of the Ozarks next fall.
Reeds Spring High School senior, Shane Pearson is our second representative from the Project Lead the Way Engineering program. Shane loves the hands-on learning he receives at Table Rock Career Center. Mr. Patrick appreciates how Shane always goes the extra mile to learn all he can about the engineering industry. Shane is looking forward to continuing his education at Missouri S & T where he plans to major in Physics in the fall.
Thanks to Tracy Carver-American Family Insurance Agency for her continued support of our TRCC Professionals of the Month!
TRCC Welcomes Criminal Justice Instructor
Table Rock Career Center would like to introduce Eric Warken as our new Criminal Justice instructor. The Criminal Justice program will make its TRCC debut in the fall of 2025. Mr. Warken is excited to transition into a career in education after more than 30 years of law enforcement experience in Southern California. Mr. Warken exclaims, “I am excited about the role I will play in helping young men and women realize the goal of working in this noble profession of public service. It takes a special group of people to help those in need on their toughest days. I look forward to helping future professionals in their endeavors down the road of life.” We are very excited to have Mr. Warken facilitate opportunities for students in the Criminal Justice program.
We are excited to recognize our Project Lead the Way Engineering instructor, Mr. Brent Patrick, as Table Rock Career Center’s Teacher of the Month. Mr Patrick brings years of industry experience from the United States Navy. A colleague had this to say about him, “His passion for engineering resonates through his students in the program.” Mr. Patrick appreciates all the support he has received from everyone during the inaugural year of this TRCC program of study.
We are also privileged to announce Robby Parrish as our TRCC Employee of the Month. Mr. Parrish is an assistant teacher in the Automotive Technology II class. He’s proud of the culture of teamwork that defines what TRCC is all about. Mr. Tom Sears, Automotive Technology II instructor, thinks highly of “His ability to foster positive relationships with students while holding them accountable for meeting expectations in the classroom and the shop.”
Culinary Arts Receives Kids Feeding Kids Fellowship
Jennifer Noriega, the Culinary Arts Instructor at Table Rock Career Center, has been selected as one of five inaugural Fellows in the Kids Feeding Kids (KFKids) Fellowship Program. This national initiative supports high school educators who integrate food justice education into their classrooms, empowering students to develop culinary skills while addressing food insecurity in their communities.
With generous support from the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation and WellSky Foundation, the KFKids Fellows Program provides educators with funding, mentorship, and professional development to expand their efforts in food education, sustainability, and community service. Fellows also design and implement a capstone project to enhance food education in their schools and contribute to the broader mission of KFKids.
Through KFKids, Mrs. Noriega will lead students in hands-on culinary projects where they will learn meal preparation, batch cooking, and food safety while cooking and packaging meals for families in need. These projects integrate classroom lessons on nutrition, sustainability, and food justice, providing students with both technical skills and a deeper understanding of community service.
Kids Feeding Kids is a Real-World Learning program launched and managed by Pete's Garden, a Kansas City nonprofit working to get wholesome family dinners to food insecure families. KFKids engages high school students in food justice education through hands-on cooking and community service. The program equips students with culinary skills while addressing food insecurity by preparing and distributing meals to families in need. By integrating real-world learning with social impact, KFKids empowers young people to create lasting change in their communities.
Focus on RS Works Intern: Libby Louviere
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Reeds Spring High School Tour
We had a great day hosting curious sophomores from Reeds Spring High School who were able to tour our 13 programs of study designed to prepare students for career and life on February 26th. The best part of today's tour is the realization that "The Rock careers are built upon" is just a few steps away from their high school.
Spotlight on Healthcare Careers
Healthcare Careers is a one-year healthcare exploratory program that allows students to dive into the healthcare industry and learn about various careers related to the healthcare industry. The students are provided an opportunity to have hands-on experience with residents at Shepherd of the Hills Living Center in Branson. After mastering essential skills in the classroom and lab, the students spent 100 hours at this facility to satisfy the state requirements to sit for the Certified Nurse Assistant state exam. The students who meet all of the year long state requirements and pass the exam in May, will leave this program with their CNA Certification. Many of my students do not stop at this certification and continue their education and training in various healthcare careers.
The students just completed their clinical rotation at the nursing facility. The students did an amazing job with their skills while they took care of the elderly. The faces of the residents lit up daily when the students walked into the facility. They loved visiting with the students and received extra care while they were there. Shepherd of the Hills staff did an exceptional job helping the students with their hands-on experience. After some studying back in the classroom soon, they will be ready for the state exam!
Mrs. Tammy Parrish has been leading the Healthcare Careers program since 2008. She transitioned 20 years of experience Home Health and Hospice as a Registered Nurse before she began her career in education. She takes a tremendous amount of pride in the amount of former students who are currently working in the Healthcare Industry serving people in need.
Focus on RS Works Intern: Caleb Anderson
Bradleyville Sophomores Tour TRCC
On March 4th sophomores from Bradleyville High School toured the TRCC campus and were able to experience firsthand how Table Rock Career Center is preparing today's students for tomorrow through quality career and technical education.
TRCC Alumni Spotlight:
TRCC Staff Members
It is always a privilege to cast a spotlight on one of our thousands of alumni who received his/her education/training at Table Rock Career Center (formally Gibson Technical Center). This spring we would like to feature our staff members who transitioned from the training they received at Gibson Technical Center to careers in related industries to becoming members of our great staff.
Thanks for all you do in supporting the students at Table Rock Career Center and for paying forward all of you have learned through your many years of industry experience.
Focus on RS Works Intern: Hailee Blair
Hurley and Spokane Students Explore TRCC
We had an awesome opportunity to meet sophomores from Hurley and Spokane High Schools on March 5th. We are looking forward to seeing these great students in the fall in one of our 13 programs of study designed to prepare students for career and life.
Spotlight on Collision Repair
What a whirlwind the 2024-25 school year has been for the Collision Repair Program at TRCC! The program is thankful to be moved into the new classroom/lab and working with new equipment that meets and exceeds industry standards. This year’s group of Collision Repair students have been amazing throughout the process of packing up the old shops and setting up and completely organizing the new one.
In addition to the move, they have been learning about and practicing prep and refinishing skills throughout the school year. Juniors started with fenders and worked through the refinish process from washing the fenders to spraying a clear coat. They also refinished a 1989 Jeep Cherokee and 1992 Ford F-250.
To keep the busy theme going, they will be refinishing the Jeep owner’s golf cart to match his Jeep, spraying an antique Frigidaire refrigerator with a Kansas City Chiefs’ theme, and completing the refinishing an antique Snap-On tool box. It’s awesome to see the students turning out great projects utilizing the skills they have learned at TRCC!
Our Collision Repair Instructor, Chris Stpber began his career in education in 2013. His 25 years of industry experience came from Jim Clark Motors in Junction City, Kansas, Hammer’s Autoworks in Springfield, Missouri and Tin Bender Body Shop in Reeds Spring.
TRCC Hosts Chadwick and Crane Sophomores
We hosted a remarkable group of sophomores from Chadwick and Crane on March 6th. They toured and explored the great opportunities TRCC provides all students to have the tools they will need for the jobs of tomorrow.
April Professionals of the Month
Table Rock Career Center would like to spotlight four students from our Automotive Technology Program as our April Professionals of the Month. Congratulations to the following students:
Branson High School senior, Xavier Albers-Milstead does not know the meaning of quit. Every task Xavier is assigned in the Auto Technology II lab he follows through from beginning to end. He does a great job overcoming unexpected obstacles on all repairs. His success in the lab has helped him transition to a service technician position at Discount Tire in Branson.
Our second representative from the Auto Technology Program is Galena High School senior, Wyatt Beasley. In the lab he always leads by example and is always there to help his classmates without being asked to. Wyatt enjoys the real-world instruction he receives from Mr. Sears. He is looking forward to taking all that he has learned at TRCC and using it for the rest of his life.
Austin Culp is our third representative from our Auto Technology Program. Austin, a junior from Branson High School, always maintains a high level of focus in the classroom and in the lab and excels in mastering the attention to detail needed in this high-demand industry. He loves the sense of community fostered in Auto Technology I lab and is excited about learning all he can before graduation.
Reeds Spring High School junior, David Head, brings a positive and professional attitude to TRCC every day. He is always hungry to learn all he can about cars and trucks. He is thankful for the opportunity TRCC is providing him to prepare for a future career that will allow him the skills he will need to continue his education and one day own his own shop.
Thanks to Tracy Carver-American Family Insurance Agency for her continued support of our TRCC Professionals of the Month!
Congratulations to our Welding instructor, Jordan Lewallen, for being recognized as Table Rock Career Center’s Teacher of the Month. A person who nominated Mr. Lewallen said it best, “He is driven and focused on providing his students the best educational experience possible.” His unrelenting focus on preparing students for industry is one of the main reasons his program has an extremely high placement rate for students entering this high-demand industry.
We are also shining a spotlight on our assistant teacher, Kara McGregor, for being selected as our TRCC Employee of the Month. She has the ability to foster positive relationships with students built on a foundation of trust. There is no way to measure the impact she has on students. She is always willing to lend a helping hand anytime she is called upon and does so with a positive attitude.
TRCC EMT Students Compete at HOSA State Leadership Conference
Students from the Table Rock Career Center EMT Program attended the annual HOSA – Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference on March 24-25, 2025 at Rolla High School and Rolla Technical Center. There were 1,202 students and chapter advisors in attendance. Nearly 2,310 competitors participated in the State Leadership Conference Qualifier through a virtual platform, and top competitors were onsite competing. The top three medalists in each of the 66 competitive events held onsite and all qualifiers in six recognition events now have an opportunity to attend the upcoming HOSA International Leadership Conference held in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 18-21, 2025.
TRCC is proud of the following EMT students!
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
2nd Place & Heading to Internationals!
Jacob Coones (Galena High School) and Braiden Cecil (Spokane High School)
5th Place
Adrieanna Morgan (Crane High School) and Josie Farley (Galena High School)
8th Place
Tessa Hime (Reeds Spring High School) and Makya Schweighauser (Reeds Spring High School)
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
4th Place
Leah Irvin (Reeds Spring High School) and Serenity Linderer (Branson High School)
5th Place
Ashley Carter (Bradleyville High School) and Carrie Clark (Branson High School)
CPR/First Aid
7th Place
Addison Crane (Reeds Spring High School) & Keili DeVors (Reeds Spring High School)
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Focus on RS Works Intern: Connor Mallick
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SkillsUSA Members Compete at State!
Nine students recently competed at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference. Marine Technology students competed in Camdenton on March 27. Early Education Careers, Healthcare Careers, Computer Technology, and Culinary Arts Students competed in Linn and Columbia on April 10-12.
Congratulations to the following students who did an amazing job representing Table Rock Career Center:
Nurse Assisting
1st Place: Avery Sadler (Reeds Spring High School)
3rd Place: Gracee Parrish (Reeds Spring High School)
Marine Technology
2nd Place: ShawnPaul Lautenschlager (Forsyth High School)
3rd Place: Corbin Connors (Branson High School)
7th Place: Logan Forbes (Reeds Spring High School)
Information Technology Services
4th Place: Vincent Estes (Forsyth High School)
Culinary Arts
5th Place: Lucia Esqueda (Spokane High School)
Basic Healthcare Skills
7th Place: Lewis Louviere (Spokane High School)
Early Childhood Education
8th Place: Libby Louviere (Spokane High School)
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386 West State Highway 76, Reeds Spring, Missouri 65737
Phone: (417) 272-3271
Email: bmoler@wolves.k12.mo.us
Website: https://www.rs-wolves.com/o/trcc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TableRockCareerCenter
Twitter: @TableRockCC