Senior Spotlight: Bo Nguyen

Bo Nguyen had always been a hands-on learner. He loved working on cars, his dad runs his own heating and air conditioning business, and he has helped his dad build a rear deck, remodel their kitchen, paint bedrooms and even do some welding work on his uncle’s trailer.

So, when Bo found Kearns Academy, a small school in High Point for students interested in computer science, he figured studying computers would be a good fit.

Not quite. 

Computers didn’t move him. Bo wanted to do something more hands-on, something that would excite him like when he worked beside his dad with a hammer in his hand.

But what? 

Bo got his answer his sophomore year. A recent Kearns graduate came into one of his classes to talk about his new career in welding, and what Bo heard interested him. He started telling himself that maybe welding was it.

But he had to find out.

He took a career management class at Kearns and later applied for the dual enrollment program at GTCC. Bo got in. During the past two years, Bo has taken three welding classes. After graduating May 28 from Kearns Academy, he will continue taking classes in GTCC’s welding program to earn his certification, get a job and begin his career.  

Bo gets excited when he thinks about his future. He talks about the opportunity of getting hired by a company in the next few years, gaining a lot of experience, and retiring early to travel, fish, build things, work on more cars, and have something to call his own. Doing all that, he knows he’ll discover what else can excite him. 

Just like what he found with welding.

But how did it all happen? Going to Kearns, Bo says, and having teachers believe in him.

“I may have found welding by myself, but my teachers, they were really good people,” Bo says. “They were like mentors in a way, asking me about what my passion was, and what do I enjoy doing. And doing that they helped me find welding sooner."

“They pushed me to figure it out. Now, I feel I’ve gotten a head start on life.”

‘I Want To Be The Best’ 

Ask about who’s behind Bo’s head start, and you realize how questions can lead to answers that can illuminate the way like lights on an airplane runway. Bo asked for help; teachers and counselors responded.

The first was Heather Jones. She’s now a Student Success Coach at GTCC and works in the Career and College Promise program, which offers students from Guilford County Schools the chance to enroll in their home high school as well as GTCC.

But when Jones first met Bo, she was a counselor at Kearns. When Bo approached her about his interest in welding after hearing the presentation by the Kearns graduate, Jones encouraged him to take the career management class.

“I really saw the creativity within welding and being able to be so hands-on, and I saw the money side of it, too,” Bo says. “That was really good motivation-wise.”

Bo then approached Forrest Littleton, his history teacher. Littleton, a father with four sons, has taught at Kearns for 16 years. Like Bo, Littleton was into cars. Littleton also rode motorcycles and loved the open road. That bond over all things mechanical led Bo to trust Littleton, and Littleton told Bo welding was a good option.

That’s all it took. Bo dual enrolled at both Kearns and GTCC. He took his welding classes in the morning and his Kearns classes in the afternoon. In doing so, Bo found not only his passion, but his drive. 

“I want to be the best I can be,” Bo says. “I want to have the prettiest welds, the best-looking ones and get better at it day by day.”

Finding A Career 

At Kearns Academy, Bo’s teachers and administrators are proud of what Bo has accomplished. Simply read what Bryan Johnson, the school’s principal, wrote. For him, Bo’s intellectual trajectory is what education is all about.

“Bo’s hands-on skills and determination set him apart,” Johnson wrote in Bo’s application for GCS’ Senior Spotlight Project. “He has always been good at working on cars, and with the support of his teachers and mentors, he found a path that aligned with his strengths. 

“His journey is proof that success isn’t just about following a predetermined path — it’s about discovering what drives you and making the most of every opportunity.

“Bo’s story is one of perseverance, growth, and finding motivation through experience. He is a reminder that success comes in many forms, and by embracing his talents, he is building a future that fits him perfectly.”

Bo finished all his coursework four months before he was set to graduate from Kearns. But he didn’t want to graduate early. He wanted to stay enrolled so he could attend GTCC and his welding classes for free.

He also wanted to graduate with his class and walk across the stage at GTCC’s Koury Auditorium. He had worked hard — taking GTCC classes in the morning, and after finishing up at Kearns, he worked a five-hour shift at an automotive parts store in High Point.

He now works full-time.  And that full-time job helped him buy his dream truck: a black 2001 Ram truck with a 2500 Cummins diesel. 

Kearns has helped Bo go after what he believes will be his dream profession. His GTCC uniform will become his career uniform: welding helmet and welding cap, safety glasses and fire-retardant jacket, safety glasses and leather boots.

Bo couldn’t be happier.

“It’s fascinating how it all worked out,” Bo says. “Being able to learn something and see how practical it is. There are tons of opportunities with welding. It’s like endless opportunities.”

Thanks to Kearns Academy, Bo discovered those opportunities.