POLYWOOD Academy will host its first class of students beginning this upcoming fall semester. Jeremy McKinzie was selected to be the instructor of the new program. Pictured in front row from left are Austin Harney, Micah Wilson, Andrew Waugh, Kassidy Carter, Audrey Miller and Nicholas Moreland. Back row is McKinzie, Landon Deel, Jon Everingham, Daniel Fattorusso and Ryan Zimmerman. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Jeremy McKinzie is a 16-year POLYWOOD employee who has worked in a variety of positions and departments in the company, including CNC operator, engineering group leader, shipping supervisor, second shift supervisor and production group leader. In August, McKinzie is trading his old job title for a new one: POLYWOOD Academy instructor.

POLYWOOD Academy is a collaborative effort between Jon Everingham, Pathways CTE director; Ryan Zimmerman, vice president of POLYWOOD human resources; Erin Serafino, OrthoWorx talent coordinator and Lisa Deck, Purdue University Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center program manager.

POLYWOOD Academy is a two-year program. In year one, students learn the principles of advanced manufacturing, advanced manufacturing technology and industrial-electrical fundamentals.

“We are getting ready to start actually writing the curriculum in July,” McKinzie explained. “In year two, the Academy turns into an internship at POLYWOOD so students can apply their knowledge, gain experience and build skills.”

McKinzie will use his more than a decade and a half of experience to teach the class, but he did express interest in obtaining a license to be able to teach to “keep options open.”

“I saw an article about POLYWOOD Academy when it was still a new idea. The article had mentioned Jon and Ryan were looking for an instructor,” McKinzie explained. “So I reached out and Jon and he asked if I worked at POLYWOOD and I said ‘yeah.’ After an interview process, I was selected.”

McKinzie is excited for the new challenges that will arise with his new role. He looks forward to developing “day-to-day game plans.” The inaugural class of POLYWOOD Academy, which will kick off this coming school year, will be made up of about ten students.

“I think there are eight Wawasee students and one Fairfield student in our first class,” McKinzie recalled. “Pathways CTE is a cooperative between Whitko, Fairfield and Wawasee. We hope to be able to welcome more students into the program each year.”

Students were selected via an interview process which allowed them to “grow their communication skills and gain experience that will benefit them as they prepare to enter the workforce.”

“I think I will teach like I coach: with the understanding that no two kids are going to learn the same way,” McKinzie explained. “I will tailor my teaching style to each student.”

McKinzie was born and raised in Kansas City, Mo. He moved to the area in 2008. He is a Grace College alum and the junior varsity basketball coach at Wawasee. Prior to moving to junior varsity, he coached the seventh-grade basketball team. He and his wife, Kayla, share three children: Jordan, 12; Jaxton; and Kloey, 3. McKinzie also coaches Jaxton’s travel baseball team, the 43 Boys.