Monthly Archives: November 2022

CareerTech Foundation Awards $81,634 in Scholarships

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The Oklahoma CareerTech Foundation recently awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships to 225 postsecondary students in Oklahoma.

The foundation distributed $81,634 in Otha Grimes and Francis Tuttle Memorial scholarships to students attending Oklahoma CareerTech technology centers. The Otha Grimes scholarships ranged from $250 to $500 per student. Two of the 225 students also received a Francis Tuttle Memorial Scholarship up to $1,000.

“Oklahoma CareerTech and the CareerTech Foundation are proud to be able to support students continuing their education and preparing for their careers in our technology centers around the state,” said Lee Denney, Oklahoma CareerTech interim state director.

The scholarships are used for school expenses and may be released to the student after their balances have been paid for the semester. Otha Grimes scholarships are awarded twice a year, and the Francis Tuttle Memorial Scholarship is awarded each fall.

The scholarships are available to adult students who are Oklahoma residents enrolled in programs at Oklahoma CareerTech technology centers.

Otha Grimes owned Ogeechee Farms in Fairland and was considered a pioneer in the performance testing movement that has become the standard management practice for beef cattle producers. He served on the Oklahoma CareerTech Foundation board of directors and was a staunch supporter of education, providing scholarships to many educational institutions, including the foundation. He was inducted into the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 1990.

Francis Tuttle served as director of Oklahoma CareerTech for almost two decades and pioneered the way for career and technology education nationwide. Before coming to CareerTech, he was an agricultural education teacher and superintendent in Gotebo, Muskogee and Holdenville.

After he retired from ODCTE, he served as director of the Oklahoma Department of Economic Development and state secretary of commerce. He was also inducted into the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 1990.

About Oklahoma CareerTech

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 60 campuses, 391 PK-12 school districts, 15 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.

The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.

Oklahoma FFA Students Win at National Convention

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Oklahoma FFA returned from the 95th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis with one national officer, nine national championships and numerous other awards.

The National FFA Convention celebrates FFA members from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The convention includes individual award and degree recognition, chapter award recognition, official delegate business and national officer elections.

Karstyn Cantrell, Skiatook, became Oklahoma FFA’s 23rd national officer when she was elected the Central Region vice president.

National champion honors went to Caleb Horne, Morrison, Prepared Public Speaking Leadership Development Event; Tuttle FFA, Livestock Judging Career Development Event; Luke Gallagher, Altus, Beef Production – Entrepreneurship National Proficiency Award; Raigan McKee, Oologah, Agriscience Research – Animal Systems National Proficiency Award; Esther Van-Overbeke, Stillwater, National Agriscience Fair Division 1: Food Products and Processing Systems; Trinity Blosch and Aubie McEndoo, Stillwater, National Agriscience Fair Division 4: Food Products and Processing Systems; Kaylee McAlister, Stillwater, National Agriscience Fair Division 3: Power, Structural and Technical Systems; Lauren Crosthwait, Stillwater, National Agriscience Fair Division 1: Social Science; and Emily Meridith and Emma Nelson, National Agriscience Fair Division 6: Social Science.

Oklahoma FFA also brought home eight other gold emblem awards: four second place, one third place, one sixth place, one seventh place and one eighth place. Seven Oklahomans were in the national chorus, eight were in the band, 189 received the American FFA Degree and 36 Oklahoma chapters were named National Three Star Chapters.

“We are incredibly proud of our FFA members and all they have accomplished on the national level. All of the success nationally tells me a lot of teaching and learning is happening in our agricultural education classrooms all around the state. It’s a ground effort and a true testament to our excellent instructors, awesome students and committed stakeholders,” said Trevor Lucas, state FFA executive secretary.

Recipients of the Honorary American FFA Degree were Holly Carroll, Oklahoma City; Daryl Flanders, Okemah; Amanda Jones, Ketchum; Jeremy Schmidt, Edmond; and Kourtney Victery and Joe Victery, both of Chickasha.

Oklahoma FFA ranks sixth in total membership and had 14 national delegates.

FFA is one of seven CareerTech student organizations affiliated with CareerTech programs. It is affiliated with agricultural education. The other six are FCCLA (family and consumer sciences education), DECA (marketing education), SkillsUSA (trade and industrial education), Business Professionals of America (business and information technology education), Technology Student Association (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and HOSA (health careers education).

About Oklahoma CareerTech

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 60 campuses, 391 PK-12 school districts, 15 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy service providers.

The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.

Brent Haken Named Oklahoma CareerTech State Director

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The Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education has selected Brent Haken as the ninth state director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

Haken will begin his official duties as state director in January. He comes to Oklahoma CareerTech from Morrison Public Schools, where he has served as superintendent since 2019.

“Oklahoma has the nation’s premier system for career and technology education because of the foundation laid by passionate and dedicated Oklahomans and the continued efforts of our state’s best team members,” Haken said. “My desire has always been to be in a position that helps people make a positive impact on their family, community and state. Empowering people through education moves Oklahoma forward!

“I could not be more excited to serve as part of the Oklahoma CareerTech team. Our role of serving the state with innovative workforce development that meets the needs of our communities proves to be more essential now than ever before. Many of my greatest experiences have been as a CareerTech student and teacher. I am honored to be in a position to give back to our state by working with all arms of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, unifying our efforts to better the lives of Oklahomans.”

Haken became elementary assistant principal and special education director in Morrison Public Schools in July 2015 and high school principal in July 2016. He also served as testing coordinator. Before moving to Morrison, he taught agricultural education in Wellston and Stillwater.

“Mr. Haken brings both classroom and administrative experience to the director position,” said Lee Denney, who has been serving as Oklahoma CareerTech’s interim state director. “As a former agricultural education instructor, school principal and superintendent, his familiarity with Oklahoma’s vocational education system will definitely be an asset in his new leadership role. We are confident he will hit the ground running as CareerTech’s ninth state director.”

Haken received the 2022 Superintendents Chairman’s Award from the Oklahoma Youth Expo and was the Oklahoma Association of Superintendents District 4 Superintendent of the Year for 2022. He is a member of the Oklahoma State Professional Education Council and the Cooperative Council for Secondary Administrators.

He has been a member of the Oklahoma Career Technology Master Teacher Committee, the National Association of Agriculture Educators and the Association of Career Technical Educators and served on the board and as vice president of the Oklahoma Agriculture Education Teachers Association.

“Brent Haken will be a strong advocate for CareerTech students and Oklahoma career and technology education,” said Joy Hofmeister, state superintendent of public instruction and chairperson of the Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education. “His experience in educational leadership and administration will serve Oklahoma CareerTech students, faculty and staff well as he leads the CareerTech System into a bright new era.”

Haken earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Central Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University.

About Oklahoma CareerTech

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 60 campuses, 391 PK-12 school districts, 15 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.

The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.