Pioneer student earns WNC degree and diploma

Nathan Hammock, Pioneer High School senior, earned his Associate of Science degree from Western Nevada College last Monday. He walked across the stage at the Marv Teixeira Pavillion a proud graduate and officer in the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. The special fact remained, he had not finished high school yet.

As a Jump Start student, he is the first high school student in the school’s history to earn college degree before finishing his high school diploma. Pioneer High School’s flexible hybrid scheduling options and link to WNC with Jump Start allowed this special occasion to occur. He started his dual enrollment as a junior at PHS and also enrolled in the Jump Start program at WNC allowing him to work on college classes during his last two years of high school. While at PHS, Hammock also served as the student body representative at School Board meetings and assisted with student leadership.

Hammock has been researching Penn State to study astrophysics and aerodynamics. He shared his desire to work for NASA or another private space agency after completing his next degree. In the meantime, he has been offered jobs at WNC as a tutor in math and science.

Hammock’s perseverance has really paid off, during a conversation with his principal at Pioneer, he explained his determination to not borrow a dime to continue his next college degree.

“We are so proud of Nate, he has broken new ground in our city and at our school earning his college and high school diplomas at the same time,” according to Jason Zona, Pioneer High School principal.

In addition to his Associate of Science degree from WNC, Hammock will be earning his honors diploma at Pioneer High School as the salutatorian and the Millennium Scholarship.