Each week, The Academy is recognizing the recipients of our 2019-2020 Alumni Awards. Each of these individuals and businesses have made a significant impact on the school and the community. For over 50 years, the school has graduated students that have demonstrated the importance of service, the merits of hard work, and the value of career and technical education. The Academy appreciates MCS Bank for sponsoring this year’s awards.

The Outstanding Achievement Award is given to an alumnus who has achieved a significant accomplishment that reflects positively on The Academy and/or its predecessor institutions. For years there has been a debate about college being the path to success. The recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award, however, stands that notion on its head. A 1980 graduate of the Juniata Mifflin Counties Area Vocational Technical School, he started out as a machinist working for Lewistown Manufacturing, GE Rail Car, New Holland and G.E. In 1998, he officially started his own business Kurtz’s Machining – a successful job shop creating parts for a variety of customers, the majority being golf cart components.

Over the years, he has volunteered a lot of time and resources to the school and the machining program that gave him his start. Having built and sold a successful business, he is now enjoying semi-retired life with his wife, Jenelle, although he still works as a consultant, as well as flying his homemade helicopter around Mifflin County. He has two children, Amanda and Nicholas, who have their father’s drive, a granddaughter and two grandsons following in their pap’s footsteps. For his professional achievements and his continued support of the school, the Academy Award for Outstanding Achievement goes to Thomas Kurtz.

To submit a nomination for next year’s Alumni Awards, go to www.theacademy.net, click on the “Alumni” tab, or call 717-248-3933.

5. Each week, The Academy is recognizing the recipients of our 2019-2020 Alumni Awards. Each of these individuals and businesses have made a significant impact on the school.