OHTS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS
OHTS has proudly provided career and technical education for the Oxford Hills community for over 40 years. We are proud of each and every graduate of our programs. Here are just a few Vikings we've had the privilege of teaching:
Logan Boucher '12
Logan completed two years of the Computer Technology Program though Oxford Hills Technical School. He was also the Salutatorian of his class and the Student of the Year for the OHTS. He then attended American University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and Audio Technology. After graduating from American University, Logan went to work for Amazon Web Services in Washington, D. C. as a Cloud Support Engineer. When asked how his computer technology program impacted his future, Logan shared that it helped him learn to accept feedback from peers. As he puts it, "While it could be hard to hear that I had made a mistake from my peers, it helped me improve my troubleshooting skills....I didn't realize how much the troubleshooting skills I was learning then would help me in the future." If you are interested in reading the full interview with Logan, you may do so at this link: Logan Boucher Alumni Spotlight.
Austri Silver '07
Austri completed the Health Science Careers program. She remembers watching surgeons in the OR, riding along on ambulance calls and viewing internal anatomy in endoscopy. The field that intrigued her the most were the various settings of physical therapy. Watching a patient who had suffered a stroke walk up and down the stairs for the first time solidified that career setting for her. She earned a B.S. in athletic training at Plymouth State University. She went on to earn a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Franklin Pierce University, the youngest female in her class and a recipient of a distinguished award as an outstanding clinician. She now works as a Physical Therapist in New Hampshire. She attributes her success to an early exposure to the health care field: “Thank you to Mrs. Harlow and the rest of the allied health team for educating myself and other students about the many opportunities of the medical world.”
Dan Higgins '98
Dan was in the Marketing program where he was able to prepare for college and explore career opportunities in the business field. In college he was able to draw on his knowledge of sales, branding and positioning, information tech, finance, business management, and direct/database marketing to land internships quickly at advertising agencies, win regional, national and international student marketing management and advertising awards, and get job offers before he got his first degree. While in college he was also the national sales manager for a small natural confections company. As a college junior he also joined the military and received a direct commission as an officer upon graduation. Today he is the Digital Strategist and Associate Director for Social Content Systems for a department of 28 at Arnold Worldwide, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. His clients have included Progressive, Panasonic, Aetna, Fidelity Investments, and Tyson Foods. He has had a successful 11 year career with many years as Executive Officer of medical units and deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. According to Dan, one factor in his success has been “the passion the marketing program gave me... It was also an outlet to compete against other schools and actively show what I had retained from my book and classroom instruction – All of which was invaluable.”
Jennifer Spencer '95
Jennifer graduated from the OHTS CNA program in 1995 and went to Central Maine Medical Center School of Nursing in Lewiston after high school. She has worked at Stephens Memorial Hospital on Medical/Surgical since becoming a registered nurse. Jennifer wanted to come back to Norway to work as a RN and give back to her community. She feels all RNs should become a CNA first to prepare them for how to interact with patients and learn what nursing is all about. She said the Allied Health CNA program gave her a big advantage in nursing school and would recommend this program if one is thinking about a career in nursing. Jennifer sits as a board member on the Allied Health Advisory Committee, and welcomes students to job shadow her.
Krista Hakala '10
Krista completed all three years of the Marketing Management program. She graduated from Bentley University last spring with an MBA in Marketing. Krista was able to use her marketing and DECA skills to impress companies during interviews and was able to land a position as a Marketing Analyst for a digital media company in Boston before graduating from college. Krista believes that her experiences in the marketing program at OHTS have helped her succeed: “Not only did it give me knowledge about the business world, it also gave me a confidence that I didn’t believe was possible to have. I carry the interpersonal skills and critical problem solving skills that I gained from marketing and DECA with me everywhere in my day-to-day life.”
Erik Arntsen ‘08
Erik completed all three years of the Automotive Technology program. He credits the Automotive Technology program with kindling his interest in the automotive field, giving him more automotive knowledge, and encouraging him to get a degree. Erik went on to get his Associates degree in Automotive Technology from CMCC in 2010. Currently, he is employed as a line technician at Ripley & Fletcher Ford where he works on cars and light trucks.
Zack Turmenne ‘12
Zack completed all three years of the Automotive Technology program, as well as the Automotive Drivetrains class. After graduating from high school, he went on to get his Associate’s degree in Automotive Technology from CMCC. Zack is currently employed with Ripley & Fletcher Ford where he works as a line technician for cars and light trucks. Zack recalls his experiences in the Auto Tech classes where he, “...was exposed to many different things, from rusted bolts, to brake problems, to front end and suspension work.”
Andrea Hart ‘07
Andrea was in the Early Childhood Education program. It was her experiences in the ECE program that helped her to confirm her desire to work with children. She credits the ECE program and her second year placement in a Guy E. Rowe Elementary School kindergarten class with helping her decide which career path to take. Andrea received her teaching degree from USM and went on to get her Master’s degree. She felt fortunate to obtain a job teaching second grade at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School. During this time she served as a member on the ECE Program Advisory Committee. In Andrea’s recent years, she has transferred positions and has returned back to where it all began. She is currently an instructor for the Early Childhood Education program. “I am happy to assist the program that helped shape me; giving back to the community is important.”