Oklahoma CareerTech awards $2.35 million in lottery grants
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has awarded just over $2.35 million in lottery grants to CareerTech programs for the 2020-21 school year, along with $500,000 in scholarships in the 2019-20 school year.
ODCTE receives almost 5 percent of the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund, which it uses to help CareerTech programs upgrade equipment and to provide scholarships to educators to continue their own education to fulfill CareerTech teacher certification and credential requirements. Oklahoma CareerTech starts each year’s competitive grant process only after it receives the lottery funds.
CareerTech sixth through 12th grade programs and technology centers submit grant proposals that include their plans for using the funds to innovate and positively affect students. Because it is a competitive process, not all those who apply will receive funds.
“Instructors and students throughout the system benefit from funds received from the Oklahoma Lottery,” said Marcie Mack, CareerTech state director. “Through the competitive grant process each year, there is a direct investment in the classroom and training experiences with new equipment, technology and enhanced instructional resources in a variety of ways.”
Read more on the ODCTE website.
Metro Tech announces new superintendent; Aaron Collins to lead technology center
Metro Technology Centers Board of Education has named Aaron Collins its new superintendent. He will begin July 1, replacing Bob Parrish, who is retiring after three years as superintendent.
Collins has served as superintendent of Fulton County Schools in Kentucky for the past seven years. He has more than 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, coach, building administrator and superintendent. He graduated in 1999 from Oklahoma Christian University.
“At the heart of Metro Technology Centers is a holistic approach to education that embraces every student and meets the needs of our students and provides support to faculty, staff and our community,” Collins said. “That approach will grow career and technology training in the Oklahoma City metro area. Metro Technology Centers will continue to look for ways to support our community, and our students will leave highly skilled and prepared to help spur our local economy.”
You can read more about Collins on The City Sentinel’s website.
Mid-America Tech wins Pacesetter Award
The Southern Regional Education Board recently named Mid-America Technology Center in Wayne as a winner of the 2020 Gene Bottoms Pacesetter School Award.
This is the second year in a row that Mid-America has received the award.
The Pacesetter School Award recognizes schools that are implementing SREB’s school improvement frameworks and are achieving success in meeting goals related to increases in student graduation rates, readiness for college or careers and credential attainment.
Read more on the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat’s website.
Gordon Cooper Tech builds public safety training center
Gordon Cooper Technology Center has built the Marty Lewis Public Safety Training Facility at the south end of its campus. It is named after a former superintendent.
The $5 million facility will house training for area high school students and working law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.
You can read more on the Shawnee News-Star’s website.
Useful links
Follow us on Twitter at @okcareertech and find us on Facebook at OklahomaCareerTech and on Instagram at oklahomacareertech and read our blog, Oklahoma CareerTech Delivers. Find our podcast at https://www.cthorizon.org/.
For news about Oklahoma’s CareerTech System, subscribe to CareerTech communications.
Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box. – Deepak Chopra
