Though Ron Turek and Ann Carlson come from completely different instructional backgrounds and careers, their constructive experiences with larger training and its life-altering potentialities way back confirmed to them {that a} school training is paramount and indispensable.
To help this robust perception, the Reno couple is beginning a workforce scholarship by Western Nevada Faculty Basis.
Coming from a farming upbringing on homestead land in South Dakota and having labored unfulfilling odd jobs, Turek went into the U.S. Air Pressure for 4 years and got here out dedicated to following his larger training goals.
“If it wasn’t for the GI Invoice, I nonetheless could be working for the Commonplace Oil Firm,” Turek stated. “Training was vital for me and received me to the place I’m right now.”
First, like many highschool graduates, Turek enrolled in a neighborhood school (El Camino in Los Angeles County). Subsequent, after beginning out in engineering and altering to enterprise in reaching his affiliate diploma, Turek transferred to Lengthy Seashore State to review finance.
“It’s an excellent start line for college students at a junior school,” Turek stated. “And until they go into the navy, quite a lot of them are standing round and attempting to determine what they will do once they develop up. That’s why I zeroed in with the blokes for this scholarship. If they are often uncovered to neighborhood faculties and junior faculties, it’s so vital for his or her instructional {and professional} careers.”
Whereas Turek went on to a profession in enterprise and finance, Carlson pursued a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise at Pacific College in Stockton, Calif., and the College of Nevada, Reno.
“What saved me going was as a result of each of my dad and mom had graduated from school and that motivation was current in our house,” Carlson stated. “As soon as folks get began, they get hooked on training. Once I was at Reno Excessive College, that they had industrial arts (auto mechanics and drafting), and residential economics, typing and stenography … quite a lot of issues that are actually out of date to assist folks not going to varsity.”
Carlson was impressed by her grandfather who emigrated from Denmark and finally opened his personal grocery retailer in Sacramento. He additionally met Carlson’s grandmother there they usually opened their very own wholesale grocery retailer in Reno.
After graduating from Nevada, she realized that the enterprise world was male dominated. At the moment, her buddies in training persuaded her that she was a pure instructor based mostly upon how efficiently she taught junior skiers within the Reno space. So, Carlson returned to UNR to earn a grasp’s diploma in training and have become a second-grade instructor at Roger Corbett Elementary College in Reno … for 35 years!
A part of their partnership now could be to assist school college students within the area. Carlson and her household have additionally made vital contributions to higher the College of Nevada, Reno and Washoe County College District. One in every of their most-recent scholarship packages is for single fathers at Truckee Meadows Group Faculty.
“She’s achieved a lot to assist folks within the training world,” Turek stated proudly.
Now, they’re centered on serving to put together WNC college students for well being care, manufacturing and repair trade careers, bringing up to date abilities and expertise to their Northern Nevada communities.
“We’re so touched that we are able to make a distinction in these younger folks’s lives and help them in staying at school and turning into the professionals that they need to be,” the couple stated.
For details about beginning your individual scholarship, contact WNC Basis at 775-445-3240.