The Rotary Club of Warren met for its weekly meeting Tuesday inside the Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church. The group heard from Junior Rotarian Rylee Bradley to begin the meeting. Rotarian Carla Wardlaw then introduced Devin McDiarmid, SEACBEC Director, who had a few words before welcoming the main program from Zach Sloan. Sloan is the Deputy Director of Arkansas Construction Education Foundation. He gave an overview of what the Arkansas Construction Education Foundation does and talked about the Pre-Apprenticeship Program that SEACBEC is utilizing. A native of McGehee, Sloan spoke about how important it is for students to have options that don’t include a four-year school. Sloan played college football, but mentioned he really had no idea what he wanted to do and had little guidance before college on what was available to him so the ACEF is able to provide that for students. The program for high school seniors allows for a years worth of registered apprenticeship credit in one of ACEF’s offered programs. Sloan was very passionate about providing opportunities to students and showing them what options there are for trade jobs that don’t require college or ones that you can go to a two-year school for. He was very appreciative of Warren Superintendent Bryan Cornish, Assistant Superintendent Wardlaw, and McDiarmid for allowing him to partner with the school and also thanked Construction Instructor Jeremy Groves for his role. There were also a number of construction internship students in attendance for the program.
Top photo: Front Row from L to R: Drake Wilson, Patrick Nettles, Marly Rawls, SEACBEC Director Devin McDiarmid, Warren School District Assistant Superintendent and Rotarian Carla Wardlaw, and Deputy Director of Arkansas Construction Education Foundation Zach Sloan. Back Row from L to R: Camarious Bell, Kymarion Davis, and SEACBEC Construction Instructor Jeremy Groves
Austin Davis is also on the back row.