09/22/2026
Earlier this summer, we welcomed Steven Bonds, a CTE engineering teacher at Bentonville West High School, to HFA through the Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce’s LIFT Externship Program. Last week, our team visited his classroom to see how he brought that experience back to his students.
The students began a hands-on design challenge by acting as clients and creating their ideal arcade within a limited floor plan. They then passed their designs to another group, who stepped into the role of architectural engineers and made changes based on safety standards, accessibility requirements and building codes. A final group served as quality-control reviewers, checking that the updated plans met every requirement before approval.
The activity reflected many of the lessons Steven observed at HFA, including how teamwork, communication and problem-solving help project teams balance a client’s vision with the requirements that make a space safe and functional.
Ryan Vaughn, Sr Mechanical Engineer at HFA, joined the class to explain how that process unfolds in professional practice. Drawing from his experience as an Engineer of Record licensed in all 50 states, Ryan discussed how projects move from a client’s initial idea through design, engineering review and inspection. He also shared how HFA’s teams navigate codes that can vary across the country and why communication is essential when project goals and code requirements do not immediately align.
It was rewarding to return to Steven’s classroom and see how he transformed his time at HFA into a lesson his students could experience for themselves. Thank you to Steven, Bentonville Schools and the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce for creating a program that allows educators to bring real industry experience back to their classrooms.
