Many parents and counselors want to guide younger students toward the four-year college path, but some are starting to realize the fact that not all kids have a university aptitude. Teachers like Mayo Technical College’s Keithen McKenzie help make a difference in their lives.

McKenzie, who heads up the Paintsville, KY school’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (hvacr) department, also owns and operates Four Seasons Heating & Cooling. He knows how important it is to tell young people about the career potential in hvacr service work, and he travels to area votech centers and high schools to spread the word.

“We set up actual hands-on demonstrations,” says McKenzie, who was awarded an honorable mention in The News Best Instructor contest. “I feel that this gives a prospective student a chance to see what the training consists of.”