Katelynn Jones, a Tulsa Technology Center graduate, recently received the Outstanding Graduate Award from the Oklahoma Career and Technical Education Equity Council.
Jones was one of 17 Oklahomans honored, along with three businesses and organizations, at the 29th annual Making It Work Day at the Capitol on March 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, which was held in the rotunda at the Oklahoma Capitol, also recognized nontraditional students.
Jones graduated from the medical assistant and phlebotomy program at Tulsa Tech. She entered the Project HIRE program after enlisting in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families because she wanted to provide opportunities for her children, said Jeana Cole, Tulsa Tech TANF Work Prep coordinator, who nominated her for the award.
Jones overcame many obstacles from her childhood and her adult life, including domestic violence, a bitter divorce and eviction, Cole said.
“She stands out to me because she was determined that she had to be the person, the mom that her children deserved,” Cole said. “Katelynn said that ‘she never wanted to be another sad statistic.’ She went to every extreme to make sure she was not that. She has fought against the odds and won!”
Jones is a full-time traveling medical assistant and phlebotomist with the Oklahoma Heart Institute in Tulsa, with specialties in cardiology, electrophysiology, advanced practice providers and interventional cardiology, Cole said. She plans to continue her education to become a registered nurse and work in neurology and behavioral sciences
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 very excited this year to be able to host the Making It Work Day event once again at the Oklahoma state Capitol” said KayTee Niquette, Work Prep and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families coordinator at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. “It is the perfect venue to showcase the achievements of our students at both the CareerTech and community college level, as well as those community and business partners that have assisted our students in their educational and employment pursuits. The opportunity for legislators to be able to hear our students’ stories and see the difference our programs make is just priceless.”
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.
“OkCTEEC is delighted to host Making It Work Day for another year. We honor our remarkable awardees at the state Capitol for their tireless efforts, commitment and resilience. Our programs, students, graduates, instructors and business and community partners around Oklahoma strive to create a positive change in the lives of families in the state. We take immense pride in recognizing and celebrating their contributions,” said Kelly Vinson, OkCTEEC president and director of Project Achieve at Northern Oklahoma College.
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.okcteec.com/. For more information about the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, visit www.okcareertech.org.
