CTE Academies

The Harnett County Schools Public Safety Academies are housed at Harnett Central High School (HCHS) and Western Harnett High School (WHHS).  The Academies currently include instruction in Fire Fighting and EMT Training, and beginning in the Fall of 2017, Law & Justice began being offered at HCHS. 

The Fire Program at HCHS is lead by Chief Jonathan Denton.  Chief Denton was born and raised in Harnett County and graduated from Triton High School in 1994.  After high school, he attended Fayetteville Fire Academy.  He is a 25 year veteran of Coats-Grove Fire and Rescue, where he worked as B-shift Lieutenant.  He currently serves his community as a volunteer Firefighter.  After a brief battle with Kidney cancer, he realized his calling to help the future of the fire service through teaching.  Over the years, he has enjoyed teaching Fire Prevention at Coats Elementary School and working with people of all ages in our community to better understand fire safety and prevention.  As Chief of Harnett Central High School Fire Program, he is excited to challenge students with hard work, life lessons, and the dedication it requires to be in the public safety profession.  When he is not at school, Chief Denton enjoys spending time with his wife, Kendra and their daughter, Jordanna, serving at their church, playing golf and hunting.  The Fire Program serves students from Harnett Central and Triton High Schools. 

The Law and Justice Program at HCHS is lead by Lieutenant Kevin Matthews.  Lt. Matthews is a lifelong resident of Northwest Harnett county, where he grew up on a tobacco farm.  Lt. Matthews currently lives in the family homeplace located in the Rawls community.  Lt. Matthews graduated from Wake Christian Academy (1978) and North Carolina State University Agricultural Institute (1980).  He graduated at the top of his Basic Law Enforcement Training class, in 1994.  For the past 23 years, he has been employed with the Harnett County Sheriff's Office, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant, last June.  Lt. Matthews is a certified Law Enforcement Trainer through the North Carolina Training and Standards Commission.  He has trained and been an adjunct law enforcement instructor at various community colleges for the past 19 years.  Lt. Matthews now teaches the new Law and Justice Program at HCHS.  The class consists of Law and Justice 1, Law and Justice 2 and Public Safety.  This program is now the third leg and completer program of the HCHS Public Safety Academy.  In his Law and Justice Program, he delivers classroom and hands on basic law enforcement instruction for students with a law enforcement interest or consideration for such a career.  Lt. Matthews feels he was led to serve in this program and he is very dedicated to his work/ calling at HCHS.  

The EMT Program at WHHS is lead by Paramedic Jennifer Knepp, a former EMT Instructor with Central Carolina Community College and proud current volunteer fire fighter and EMT in Harnett County. In addition, Jennifer Knepp started EMS in 1997 and is a third generation female paramedic.  Both of these programs serve students from Western Harnett and Overhills High Schools. 

Students not enrolled at the school where the academy is located are responsible for providing their own transportation to class. 

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HCS CTE Dual Enrollment Academies are a collaborative effort between Harnett County Schools and Central Carolina Community College. For more information on the following academies, please contact:

Harnett Teacher Academy

Cory Morris, Coordinator, cmorris@harnett.k12.nc.us

Harnett Health Sciences Academy

Melanie Womack, Coordinator, mwomack@harnett.k12.nc.us

Harnett Agriculture Academy

Contact Lindsey Hardee, CTE Director