Nodaway County Sheriff Randy Strong admires the Nodaway County Sheriff’s sign designed and programed for a plasma cutter by Nodaway-Holt senior Derick Thornton. DARE Officer Rick Smail commissioned five signs after seeing the work done by Thornton on a plasma cut sign for the state DARE officers association.

The signs will be placed in the entryway of the county jail and the sheriff’s office. A personalized badge number sign was made for Strong and Smail. The steel was purchased with donations; no county or school money was used.

Thornton worked on the project two to three weeks during his 45 minute shop class. Thornton’s future plans include studying aerospace engineering possibly at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla.