Angela Viera
Graduating senior Adam Gardner started at Oasis Academy in 2017 as a fourth-grader.
“I switched from E.C. Best going into fourth grade. Eight years later, here I am, graduating while dual-enrolled in college and looking to move halfway across the country to attend a school for my career path,” Gardner said.
Gardner will graduate in May with his high school diploma and an Associate of Applied Science in welding from Western Nevada College. He then plans to attend the Missouri Welding Institute in Nevada, Missouri, to pursue a career in welding.
He found his time at Oasis nothing but beneficial.
“I've learned more than I would have at other schools and have built great connections with the amazing staff and teachers,” he said.
Those connections include his gratitude for Oasis Academy High School Counselor Andy Lenon.
“One teacher/mentor I would like to thank personally would have to be the counselor, Mr. Lenon. He has always been there for kids, making sure they felt heard, always communicating with others — all with a smile on his face,” Gardner said. “I would also like to thank Mr. Lenon for helping me stay on track with my schoolwork as well as helping me out with scholarship opportunities.”
Gardner’s favorite classes were history and FFA.
“Overall, I think my favorite class would have to be either my elective FFA or history classes taught by Mr. David Springfield or Mr. Eric Grimes. I can't get enough of history. I'm always intrigued by learning about our past even deeper,” he said.
As he reflects on the past and looks forward, he offers advice for future students. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong network of supportive friends who uplift each other.
“One of my favorite memories from Oasis Academy would have to be during the start of high school when all of my close friends were still attending Oasis, and we would have all our classes together,” he said. “It was always something to look forward to, with something new and interesting happening that made school worth coming to each day.”
“Some personal advice I have for future students would be to enjoy high school, make plenty of connections, and have a solid group of friends that care about you and support you,” he said. “Have friends that value you and your time because it will make your high school experience that much better.”
8th Grader Takes Ground School Class
In a display of academic and extracurricular ambition, eighth-grade student Keagan Craig completed Western Nevada College's in-person AV 110 Private Pilot Ground School course.
This dual pursuit not only showcases Craig’s passion for aviation but also highlights the opportunities available for early engagement in higher education through Oasis Academy’s partnership with Western Nevada College.
By completing WNC's AV 110 course, Craig gained comprehensive knowledge of aviation principles, including flight mechanics and safety protocols. This course is a foundational step toward becoming a licensed pilot.
“In the class, I learned the basics of flying and how to navigate airports,” Craig said. “My favorite assignments were the weather paper and cross-country project. For the weather paper, we learned how to navigate storms, what a storm contains, and how it can affect your flying. In the cross-country project, we were given two airports and had to plan a route between the two and discuss how to fly that route.”
WNC's aviation program addresses the national pilot shortage while providing students with a clear pathway to careers in aviation. This unique opportunity has provided Craig with a chance to accelerate his educational and professional goals, the first of which is to obtain a pilot’s license.
“I began taking flying lessons a couple of months ago and will continue to add flying hours as I prepare to take the pilot license when I turn 16,” he said. “The class allowed me to complete one of the first steps in the process toward a license.”
While he is not sure if flying will be a hobby or career, Craig knows having the skills to fly will open opportunities for his future.
This story underscores the potential of early engagement in specialized education and the opportunities available through innovative programs like those offered by Western Nevada College and Oasis Academy.
For more information about WNC’s Private Pilot Ground School course, contact the Fallon campus at 775-445-3382.
National History Day Expo
On Feb. 19, Oasis Academy held its first annual National History Day Expo in the Gordmans space. The expo showcased the historical research and creativity of seventh- and eighth-grade students. This event highlighted the talents of young historians as they presented their projects in various formats, including websites, documentaries, exhibits, and papers.
The National History Day program, which engages over 500,000 students annually across the United States, encourages students to delve into historical topics and present their findings through different mediums.
This year, students at Oasis Academy took on this rigorous challenge, exploring a wide range of historical topics connected to the NHD theme of "Rights and Responsibilities."
"It was exciting to see the wide range of student interest,” said Tami McNeill, Oasis history teacher. "This was a really challenging, rigorous project that asked students to critically think, analyze information, and show their thinking in a different way. Our students really rose to the occasion!"
The expo provided a platform for these young scholars to share their work with the theme of Rights and Responsibilities. The top entries in each category will now move on to the regional competition in Reno in early March, with the potential to advance to the national contest held annually at the University of Maryland in June. Pictured: Shayna Byrd, Alexa Hessey, Emma Cline, Angelita Montalvo
Students advancing in each category are:
7th Grade:
Jacob Pilarski, Paper
Jackson Frey and Luke Moffitt, Website
Sawyer Schank, Website
Pia Doyen, Exhibit
Tyler Mitchell and Drew Palanivelu, Exhibit
Zach Greenburg, Kennedi King, and Payton Hyde, Exhibit
8th Grade:
Mandy Wadsworth, Documentary
Alexa Hessey, Documentary
Annie Sorensen and Kinsley Viera, Documentary
Ezra Acomb, Exhibit
Aliyah Schleyer-Ashmead, Exhibit
Neel Bhakta and Natalie Snooks, Exhibit
Sophia Moya and Jesselle Joy Bayoneta, Exhibit
"We found that it was so hard to pick who went to regionals from the number of outstanding projects, and this was the first year we did this,” said Kelly Nott, Oasis history teacher. “We cannot wait to see what our students do in the years to come."
By participating in National History Day, students develop essential skills such as research, critical thinking, and public speaking, which are invaluable for their academic and professional futures.
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