LPS Celebrates First Registered Youth Apprentices

Liberty Public Schools is excited to have two students serving as Registered youth Apprentices beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. 

Liberty North High School junior Leah Hoffman is apprenticing with the Liberty Education Foundation, and Liberty High School senior Elmir Selman is apprenticing with Cyber 429.

The students will be paid employees for the businesses, and earn a U.S. Department of Labor Certificate of Apprenticeship when they complete the program. On top of that, they will receive valuable real world experiences, mentorship and skills to help them succeed in the workforce.

Hoffman is serving as a Marketing Associate with the Liberty Education Foundation, focusing on event promotion and social media.

Selman is serving as a Cybersecurity Analyst with Cyber 429, working with real clients to keep data secure and prevent cyber attacks.

"We are so proud of Leah and Elmir for the tremendous hard work they’ve put in to become the first LPS registered apprentices, and grateful to Liberty Education Foundation and Cyber 429 for stepping forward as our first employer partners," said Dr. Sara Wickham, Director of Real World Learning for LPS. "These apprenticeships give students the opportunity to take the skills they’ve developed through their coursework and apply them in a professional setting, while continuing to learn, contribute meaningful work, and build skills and experiences that will open doors for their future."

A signing celebration was held on Monday, September 28, 2026, at the District Administration Center to celebrate the first two students to receive an apprenticeship through Liberty Public Schools.The event represents an important milestone in LPS's continued expansion of real-world learning opportunities that allow students to develop skills, gain meaningful professional experience, and begin exploring career pathways while still in high school.

Both Hoffman and Selman will complete 2,000 hours of work in their apprenticeships between now and a year after high school graduation. 

More information about the LPS Registered Apprenticeship Program is available on the LPS Real World Learning website.