Gavinn Simons is a senior at Versailles High School and participates in the Agriculture Education Capstone Program and has been selected as the capstone highlight student of the month. The Versailles Agriculture Education Capstone Program is in its 14th year of existence. Gavinn is the son of Jessica Francis of Versailles. Capstone is a program that gives Versailles High School Junior and Senior Students that are enrolled in agriculture education an opportunity to gain real world employment experiences and opportunities while in high school.
Gavvin started working in 2023 at AL Smith in training to become a mechanic and has worked over 2,500 hours. Gavinn’s primary roles include changing oil, changing brakes, changing tires, working on trailers, finding and fixing leaking airlines/hoses and replacing wheel seals and ABS sensors. Shawn Wehrkamp, the shop manager at AL Smith Trucking , is quoted by saying “Gavinn has proved himself as a true asset for A. L. Smith Trucking, as being a responsible employee and able to learn quickly. He has demonstrated to us that he will be a great employee in the future and will be able to handle himself in the future with confidence.” Gavinn plans to work full-time for AL Smith Trucking after graduation.
AL Smith Trucking was founded in 1956 by Alvin Smith, A.L. Smith Trucking, Inc. began as a provider of grain and hay transportation services. For the first two decades, the company established a solid reputation in agricultural logistics. In the years that followed, A.L. Smith Trucking evolved to meet the growing demand for temperature-controlled transportation, specializing in the movement of
Today, the company is a trusted name in cold chain logistics, serving the East, South, and Midwest markets with a fleet of modern refrigerated trucks. Dedicated management and skilled drivers have played a vital role in shaping the company’s success, ensuring reliable and timely deliveries. The experience of the leadership team has allowed A.L. Smith Trucking, Inc. to create a business plan that benefits both the company and its customers, making it a dependable partner for temperature-sensitive transportation needs.
This year 54 students are enrolled in the Versailles Agriculture Education Capstone programs and are leaving school after their daily required courses are complete and working at area businesses. The goal of the spotlight is to highlight each month one of the students that participate in the capstone program and highlight the skills/knowledge they are gaining, the roles/assets they are to their business. The students enrolled in capstone also use their employment as their Supervised Agricultural Experience Program. As part of their grade in capstone, students are required to keep detailed records of their hours worked, earnings and skills performed. In addition to the record books, capstone students are being evaluated at the end of each nine weeks by an evaluation completed by their employer.
Congratulations to Gavinn Simons and Thank you to AL Smith Trucking for this opportunity.
