Elizabeth Moncada, a city of Altus employee, recently received the Outstanding Business and Industry Partner Award from the Oklahoma Career and Technical Education Equity Council.
Moncada was one of 17 Oklahomans honored, along with three businesses and organizations, at the 28th annual Making It Work Day at the Capitol in a virtual ceremony May 6. Making It Work Day recognizes individuals who are committed to removing barriers to success for single-parent families by providing educational experiences for students beyond the classroom. The ceremony also recognized nontraditional students.
Moncada, who is in charge of human resources for the city of Altus, serves as a mentor for Western Oklahoma State College students interning with the city said, Leslie Brown with the WOSC STARS Program, who nominated Moncada for the award.
Students have interned in animal control, planning and development, human resources, water, recreation and fleet maintenance, Brown said. The internships provide training and help the students learn the importance of punctuality, professional language and appropriate dress, she added.
“Elizabeth has been very helpful in the evaluation segment of the internships,” Brown said. “She is honest, but kind. She is able to communicate to the student that there needs to be a change in them, but she does it in a way that is effective and well-received. She reports even the little stuff just so the student will know that someone is watching all the time. Her efforts are very important to the success of our internships.”
OkCTEEC is affiliated with the administrative division of the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education. The council advocates for students pursuing nontraditional careers and for resources for educating single parents.
“OkCTEEC is always privileged to honor those who have chosen a career path that is nontraditional and those individuals or partners who have assisted them in their quest,” said KayTee Niquette, Work Prep and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families coordinator at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. “This year is a transitional year that everyone seems to be working through, so students and others have been doing an exceptional job meeting in person and through a hybrid model.”
She serves as an adviser for OkCTEEC, along with Lisa French of the Department of Human Services and Gina McPherson of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
“All of us continue to navigate through the continuing pandemic, facing new challenges each and every day,” said Kelly Vinson, OkCTEEC president and director of Project Achieve at Northern Oklahoma College. “Our students have shown tremendous strength and determination navigating through the many challenges they face along the way. It is a great honor to recognize these students, who have excelled and are continuing to reach their goals.”
OkCTEEC’s purposes include promoting and supporting career and technology education, increasing its effectiveness, promoting research in the field and in educational equity, developing leadership and advocating for equity and diversity.
For more information about OkCTEEC, visit https://www.cteec.org/okcteec. For more information about the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, visit www.okcareertech.org.
