Farmington Faces

By Kevin Jenkins | August 28, 2014 |

Sikes joins Mineral Area College education department

PARK HILLS – Jennifer Sikes of Farmington has joined Mineral Area College’s Career & Technical Education Division as department chair for the child development program. She fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Patricia Fields.

Sikes holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Central Methodist University, and a master’s degree in elementary administration from William Woods University.

She comes to the college from instructional administration, having been a lead teacher at W.L. Johns Early Childhood Center for Farmington R-7 School District. She is a member of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); Missouri Association of Early Childhood Education (MAECTE) and MO-ACCESS (Associate Degree Early Childhood Teacher Educators).

“I’m excited to be a part of Mineral Area College and its mission to promote higher education in our local communities,” she said. “It’s an honor to become a member of an institution with a wonderful history of excellence in education.”

Sikes, her husband, Jim, and daughter, Anna, live in Farmington. They are active in their church, New Heights, and enjoy travel, hiking, biking, and spending time with family and friends.

Evans joins Mineral Area College

PARK HILLS – Leslie Evans of Farmington has joined Mineral Area College as an assistant accreditation and course assessment specialist. She will work with Associate Dean of Instruction Diana Stuart.

Evans comes to the community college having worked for Farmington Public Library, and for Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Southeast Missouri State University.

Originally from Sikeston, Evans lives in Farmington where she enjoys Crossfit, running, and “attempting Pinterest crafts.”

Kekec joins Mineral Area College science department

PARK HILLS – Sondra Kekec of Farmington has joined Mineral Area College’s Science Department as chemistry instructor. Kekec holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from University at Buffalo (New York) and a master’s degree in chemistry from University of Notre Dame. Before moving to the area, she worked as a public health laboratory scientist in the Chemistry Unit at the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory in Jefferson City for two years. Kekec and her husband, Jon, live in Farmington. She said for most of last year, she stayed busy “running the Kekec Zoo.” She and her husband have three children: Cadence, age 2, and 7-month-old, boy/girl twins Parker and Ella. As a family, they enjoy music, theater, sport and playing outdoors.