First Presbyterian Church of Enid recently received the Outstanding Community Partner/Agency Award from the Oklahoma Career and Technical Education Equity Council.
The church was one of three Oklahoma businesses and organizations honored, along with 17 individuals, 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.
First Presbyterian Church has been helping students in Northern Oklahoma College’s Project Achieve program since 2017, said Kelly Vinson, Project Achieve director, who nominated the church for the award.
The church donates a portion of its offering each year to support students, Vinson said; the donation helps students obtain additional resources that the Achieve program’s contract may not allow it to provide.
In addition, the church has providing mentoring to several students and their families, Vinson said.
“First Presbyterian saw the need in our community to reach out to low-income single-parent families who were working tireless on their education/training to provide a better life for their family,” she said. “The support and love the church provides to our students, along with support to the entire community, is unmatchable. There is no judgment, just a love to see individuals succeed.”
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 Vinson, who is also OkCTEEC president. “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.
