Erica Pogue of INCA Community Services recently received the Outstanding Community Partner/Agency Award from the Oklahoma Career and Technical Education Equity Council.
Pogue 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.
Pogue is the operations director at INCA Community Services, which provides services for students in Murray State College’s Moving Into Tomorrow program, said Wilma Jean Ayers, MIT Special Project Atoka Site coordinator, who nominated Pogue for the award.
Most of the students use JAMM Transit vans to get to the MIT class, Ayers said, and INCA also provides food, help with housing services, clothing, utility assistance, early childhood education, developmental disability services, emergency services, health services and seasonal services like the angel tree and food baskets.
Ayers said she met Pogue about 17 years ago when Ayers became MIT coordinator and Pogue was an MIT student. Pogue then completed a business administration and information technology course at Kiamichi Technology Centers and went to work at INCA, where she has stayed, Ayers said.
“For as long as I have known Erica, she has impressed me with her tenacity, drive and stability,” Ayers said. “Erica is kind and courageous. She does not discriminate; she helps.”
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.
