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At the annual Partners in Progress celebration, Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (OkACTE) and Oklahoma Association of Technology Centers (OATC) presented awards to some of Oklahoma CareerTech's most valued industry partners. Twenty-eight businesses were recognized for making outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development, and progress of career and technology centers in Oklahoma. 

For over 20 years, WTC has partnered with Corn Heritage Village and Rehab, striving to improve the lives of the elderly and vulnerable in western Oklahoma. WTC understands the pivotal role of a well-trained staff and is committed to providing highly skilled licensed practical nurses, certified nurse and medication aides to support Corn Heritage's mission.

Corn Heritage's recognition as the recipient of the 2024 OkACTE Partners in Progress Award highlights the positive impact of sustained collaboration between industry leaders and career technical education institutions. WTC is committed to "educating people for success"!

Mr. Mattox has gone from being a CareerTech graduate of Construction Trades, to a few years of industry experience, then came full circle to being the instructor of Construction Trades, the very class he began in. That has taken tremendous courage, adaptability skills and further education in order to rise up to the challenge of being a CareerTech instructor.

Mattox continually displays that same passion and commitment in the classroom as he prepares students to enter a high demand occupation. Mattox truly cares about the physical and mental health of all his students and he takes the time to learn about his students and any barriers they may be facing.

Over the past few years, Construction Trades enrollment has seen an increase in female students learning the trade. Mattox encourages his female students by making sure they take the lead on projects and teaches them to use their voice. The voice that often gets left behind or diminished in a predominately male industry. Mattox finds adaptive equipment to compensate for smaller sizes if needed; such as gloves, hammers, toolbelts, workbench heights and work stations. Mr. Mattox is welcoming of all students and does not make female students feel as if they are a top priority but an equal priority in learning and engaging in the construction trades.

This year at Oklahoma SkillsUSA, Mr. Mattox was honored with receiving an Outstanding Instructor of Non-Traditional Students Award. Congratulations, Mr. Zach Mattox!

The OkACTE Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Western Technology Center Superintendent, Kathe Corning, at the 2023 Oklahoma Summit in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Association for Career and Technical Education (OkACTE) is a dynamic educational leadership organization. OkACTE members are the backbone of career and technology education and workforce education policy development in Oklahoma.

Superintendent Corning has been working in the Oklahoma CareerTech system and serving western Oklahoma for 45 years. She began her CareerTech journey at WTC in 1978 as a Fashion Trades Teacher. She has continued to serve in a variety of capacities throughout the years and became the Superintendent in 2020. 

Corning has a strong vision for the district and the leadership skills to guide and facilitate Western Technology Center's growth.

Teia Lund is a 12th grader in her second year with the WTC Construction Trades program. Teia has received recognition during WTC's Awards Assemblies for having Perfect Attendance for the entire 2022-23 school year, and receiving program Outstanding Attitude and Outstanding Student Awards.

When Teia started at WTC-Burns Flat, she rarely spoke and did not seek out much social engagement. However, over the last two years she has become a true leader in her class. She now readily takes lead on class projects and has earned her classmates' respect.

Teia willingly seeks out opportunities to show that women can succeed in the construction field. Visiting students will receive shop tours and hear her speak about the way women can overcome barriers.

Teia juggles working as a Certified Dietary Manager and maintaining all the needed credentials as she finishes high school and her training at WTC. Goals for the future include opening up her own cabinet shop. 

 

Students from Western Technology Center-Sayre Business Professionals of America (BPA) chapter were among the 6,500 attendees representing nearly 800 school chapters who attended the 2024 BPA National Leadership Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

While in Chicago, students competed for top honors in BPA's Workplace Skill Assessment competitions. Conference participants also attended professional development workshops, received awards for community service activities, and elected BPA's 2024-2025 national student leadership team.

The students from WTC who attended the National Leadership Conference were Callie Long and Josephine Taraco.

Callie Long competed in individual competitions for Word Processing, Health Administration Concepts, and Administrative Support Concepts. Callie ended up placing in the TOP 10 in the Nation for all her events!

Callie and Josephine (Josie) competed together in a team event: Administrative Support Team and placed 2nd in the nation.

Western Technology Center-Sayre was also awarded the National BPA Cares Award for Special Olympics in recognition of all their fundraising and community service outreaches.

 

WTC is committed to "educating people for success"!