GARRETT HINEY: ‘I HATED SCHOOL, UNTIL CAREER ACADEMY’

The Career Academy at Iowa Lakes Community College was still in its infancy when former Armstrong-Ringsted Superintendent James O’Meara approached a group of juniors to ask if they were interested in the possibility of traveling daily to Emmetsburg to attend some classes. Garrett Hiney was one of the junior boys who were in that group.

In Hiney’s words, “I hated school. I was a C-D student and didn’t want to be there.”

He had struggled throughout high school, but this project appealed to him and he enrolled in the Motorcycle Technology Academy. One of the school district’s requirements for participation in the Career Academy was that the students must maintain a certain grade point average. The opportunity to participate in the program inspired Hiney and he became an Honor Roll student his senior year.

Following high school graduation from Armstrong-Ringsted in 2000, Hiney enrolled full time in the Motorcycle and Small Engine Technology program at the Emmetsburg Campus of Iowa Lakes Community College. The credits he earned as a Career Academy student gave him advanced placement in the curriculum and he completed the program in 2001.

After graduating from Iowa Lakes, he was employed as a technician at a Sioux City motor sports dealer. The next career move was to Zylstra Harley-Davidson in Cherokee to become Parts Department Manager and part-time technician.

Hiney has continued training by attending several manufacturer schools. He feels his training and strong work ethic made him attractive to prospective employers. Garrett plans to continue his career in the recreational sports industry and someday to hopefully own a Harley-Davidson dealership.

In keeping with his career interests, Hiney enjoys attending motorcycle rallies and riding four-wheel ATVs in his free time. He has also designed and built several custom motorcycles, one of which is his own personal bike. Custom motorcycles that Garrett has built have won “Best of Show” at several motorcycle shows.

While at Iowa Lakes, Hiney traveled to the National Tech Prep Conference in Charlotte N.C., to participate in a seminar about Career Academy growth. He feels the Career Academy was important to make his high school and postsecondary education a success.

“The Career Academy is a great opportunity to help decide what you want to go to school for so you don’t waste time and money while in school.” he added.

Additional information about Career Academy offerings and other programs at Iowa Lakes Community College may be obtained online at www.iowalakes.edu or by calling the nearest campus.