Masonry Magazine March 2002 Page. 38
MAKING
GRADE
Student in the spotlight
Ambition Drives Young Mason
Travis Thompson of Cheyenne, Wyoming, is our Masonry Apprentice of the Month. Thompson is a sophomore majoring in civil engineering at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Like many in masonry, Thompson is both ambitious and hard-working. He worked days off and weekends during high school doing landscaping work. These days he's laying brick to put himself through college. Thompson is especially grateful to Powers Masonry Supply, not only for his job, but for sponsoring his participation in the National Masonry Contest and for donating supplies for his masonry class.
His instructor at Cheyenne Central High School, Brian Stevenson, is full of high praise for Thompson. "Travis is a fine young man who takes initiative. He participated in the National Masonry Contest last year as a high school student. It was his desire to participate again and his encouragement of me that led us to establish a chapter at the University of Wyoming. He fulfilled his desire when he participated in the post-secondary division of the National Masonry Contest held in Kansas City, MO, this past summer," Stevenson said.
An instructor for eleven years, Stevenson has sponsored students in the National Masonry Contest for three consecutive years.
With his tool bag over his shoulder and level in hand, Travis Thompson heads to another of many masonry projects that help pay his way through the engineering sequence at the University of Wyoming.
Travis Thompson is pictured working on a recent residential project in his hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Thompson is equally complimentary of his instructor. "Mr. Stevenson has been a big factor in my interest in masonry. He got the program together and has kept it going," Thompson said.
Note: If you have an apprentice mason to nominate, contact J. David Holt, clo Holt Marketing Group, Inc., 1906 Swift, North Kansas City, MO 64116 or fax to 8161842-9989.