2012 on the horizon: education

n Sunday, March 4, 2012 Enid News & Eagle Page designed by: Violet Hassler

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THIS YEAR IS ONE OF EXPECTATION FOR ENID AND NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA. IT IS A TIME OF CHANGE AS THE AREA EMERGES FROM RECESSIONAND LOOKS TOWARD PROGRESSION. THE ECONOMIC DRIVERS THAT HAVE BUILT AND SUSTAINED OUR WAY OF LIFE ARE CHANGING, AND THEPEOPLE ARE TASKED WITH CREATING A DIVERSE, NEW ECONOMIC MODEL THAT PUTS THE AREA ON THE HORIZON TOWARD A BETTER WAY OFLIFE. TUCKED IN THESE PROGRESS EDITIONS ARE A FEW OF THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE FOR 2012 AND BEYOND.

By Phyllis ZornStaff Writer

In the two years since voters passed a $99.4 million bond issue,Enid Public Schools has made relentless progress renovating exist-ing buildings and building new ones.

In fact, work at seven schools, D. Bruce Selby Stadium and thetrack is finished. Work at six more schools will be wrapped up byAugust. An additional building on the Enid High School campus— not originally planned as part of the bond issue but funded bysavings from other projects — and renovation of four moreschools will be finished in 2013.

“This fall, Enid’s two new elementary schools will open theirdoors, and by August of 2013, renovations at all EPS sites will becomplete,” said Shawn Hime, EPS superintendent.

Work is complete at Glenwood, Coolidge, Hoover, Hayes andTaft elementary schools. Selby Stadium work and resurfacing ofthe EHS track is finished, roofing at seven schools is done andHVAC work at 11 schools is complete.

Adams Elementary School additions and upgrades are sched-uled for completion any day now.

Renovation of the third floor of Emerson Middle School iscomplete, the office area and main entrance are in final stages ofcompletion and the auditorium is under construction.

At Enid High School, the first floor is in final stages of comple-tion. The plaza in front of the building is getting a makeover. Theauditorium is due to open in April. Work on the existing buildingis scheduled to be completed by August.

At the new Garfield Elementary School, interior finishes arebeing installed. Cabinets, ceiling tiles, accent paints and trim in allareas are in beginning stages. Data infrastructure is starting to takeplace in all classrooms and offices. Demolition of the old Armoryon the school’s site is scheduled to be finished by the end ofMarch.

At the new Prairie View Elementary School, exterior bricks andwindows as well as interior studs and sheetrock are being installed.The roof and HVAC units are being installed and the driveways arepoured. The central rotunda is the center focus of work.

As for renovation and addition to Waller Middle School, thenew classroom and media center is framed and sheetrock is beinginstalled. Windows and frames are set in place. Exterior work isnear completion. New HVAC units are on the roof. Student transi-tion will begin at spring break. Landscape work will begin in April.

Projects in the design phase center on Monroe ElementarySchool, Longfellow Middle School, Carver Education Center, busparking area, and EHS University Center addition.

Monroe will see extensive renovation to the first and secondhalls. Carver will witness minor renovations, with constructionbeginning in spring. Longfellow Middle School will see extensiverenovations to all buildings and a newly-constructed administra-tion addition with elevators to all floors. Students will use the oldGarfield Elementary building for swing space during the 2012-13school year.

The 34,000 square foot EHS University Center addition willhave 24 classrooms and four state-of-the-art science labs. The jobshould be bid and awarded in the spring, with construction to beginin the summer and completed by summer 2013.

Yet to be designed and bid are McKinley and Eisenhower ele-mentary school and Lincoln Alternative School renovations. Allare scheduled to be completed by August 2013.

“Together, we are not just building better schools, we are build-ing better futures,” Hime said.

BuildingBuildingBETTERFUTURES

Enid Public Schools remains in midstof renovation, construction projects

Timberlake Construction employees (top) work on the roof at the new PrairieView Elementary School on West Willow. Enid Public Schools students will beattending classes at the new Garfield Elementary and Prairie View Elementarybuildings next fall. Construction has been ongoing at the new elementaryschools. Pictured are (clockwise from left) a worker using a ladder as he pol-ishes chrome lighting sections in one of the common learning pods at the newGarfield, a Henson Construction worker installing a new thermostat inside thenew Garfield offices and Timberlake Construction supervisor Ray Rich answer-ing a question during a tour of Prairie View. (Staff Photos by BONNIE VCULEK)

Enid News & Eagle Sunday, March 4, 2012 n Page designed by: Violet Hassler

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Construction continues on the interior entrance to Enid Public Schools’ newPrairie View Elementary School (right) on West Willow. A Henson Construc-tion worker (top) installs lighting inside the cafeteria area at the newGarfield Elementary School building under construction on East Elm. EnidPublic Schools’ two newest buildings are scheduled to open for the fallsemester. Parents (above) exit Waller Middle School as workers set concretewall caps near the school’s new entrance. (Staff Photos by BONNIE VCULEK)


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By Jeff MullinSenior Writer

Teaching is a challenging enough profession underthe best of conditions, but teaching both calculus andphysics to the area’s best and brightest math and sciencestudents comes with its own unique set of demands.

“It means I’ve got to stay on my toes,” said MikeJantz, the lone instructor at Enid’s regional center forOklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. “Youcan’t slack off on any day. I tell them every one of themis probably smarter than I am, but I know more maththan they do. That’s fun.”

Jantz has been with Enid OSSM since it opened.In his first year teaching at OSSM, Jantz said, he had

a junior student from Chisholm who scored 35 on theACT test, a perfect 36 in math.

“My biggest fear that first school year was that shewas going to take the ACT again and not make a 36 in

math,” Jantz said. “Shedidn’t take it again.”

Students at OSSM,Jantz said, are “morelike-minded and motivat-ed,” than their class-mates in their homeschools.

Students work togeth-er in groups to solveproblems, which enablesthem to brainstorm andmotivate one another,

said OSSM studentDakota Bottomlee.

“All of our studentshave very similar goals,

and they have similar backgrounds in mathematics,”Bottomlee said. “It’s nice to work with people with thesame goals. Everybody here wants to achieve; you cansee that in their work. Everybody wants to do somethingwith their life that’s important. No one slacks off.”

“I don’t have to get after them very often, and whenI do yell at them they perk right up,” Jantz said.

Bottomlee hopes to attend either the Air Force orNaval academies and study aeronautical engineering,following in the footsteps of his father, Lt. Col. DavidBottomlee, inspector general for 71st Flying TrainingWing at Vance Air Force Base. Dakota is home-schooled.

“It’s nice to be able to take a class in a good learningenvironment with a teacher who has taught this formany, many years,” Bottomlee said. “I can get a goodunderstanding of the mathematics that goes into calcu-lus-based physics going into college.”

His experience at OSSM, Bottomlee said, will servehim well as he goes to college.

“Calculus isn’t just math, it’s problem solving, so isphysics,” he said. “They give you problem-solvingskills. You get to look for stuff in math that you would-n’t normally look for to solve these problems.”

How it all startedOSSM’s main campus, a two-year residential school

in Oklahoma City, graduated its first class in 1992. In1999, the state Legislature passed H.B.1510, establish-ing 16 regional centers across the state to enable giftedstudents to receive additional math instruction withouthaving to leave home or their high school friends andactivities. Enid’s OSSM regional was the fifth to open.

“They pulled out the two curriculum areas they sawas most needed, whichwas calculus and physics,”said Jeremy Eaton, direc-tor of student activities.“Those two curriculumareas are what the regionalcenters teach.”

Enid’s OSSM branch ishoused at Autry TechnologyCenter. Students are trans-ported to Autry for morningor afternoon classes, thenreturned to their highschools. The program hasincluded students from out-side Garfield County, Ea-ton said, but they must pro-vide their own transporta-tion.

Students spend about75 minutes a day studyingcalculus and 75 studyingphysics, Jantz said.

“We’re trying to pro-vide the optimum learningenvironment for studentswho are either motivated,gifted or talented in mathor science,” he said.

How it startsfor students

Each spring, prospec-tive students submit appli-cation packages thatinclude recommendations from their math and scienceteachers as well as their principal or counselor. Moststudents who apply are going into their junior or senioryear of high school.

A representative of every district that sends studentsto Autry Tech meets and interviews each applicant.Students are assessed for scientific interest and aptitude,motivation, self-discipline, personal maturity and over-all potential. Students also must take an aptitude test.The panel of school officials then selects the next year’sclass, about half of which comes from Enid HighSchool. Classes range from about 15 to 25 students.

“That way every school, big or small, has input on

every student that’s coming into the program,” Eatonsaid.

The current Enid OSSM class is its 11th. In all, some200 students have gone through the program here.

“We’ve had great success,” Eaton said.The dropout rate, Jantz said, is low.

“We don’t want anybody to fail,” he said.Enid OSSM graduates have gone on to prestigious

colleges like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, butmany have chosen to stay in state, Eaton said.

“That’s really the purpose of the program, too,”Eaton said, “to show students they can go to school herein Oklahoma and get a great education and stay here inOklahoma for their careers.”

At the end of the one-year, tuition-free program,Eaton said, students take advanced placement tests incalculus and physics.

“We have over a 90-percent pass rate on those APtests,” Eaton said.

For students going on to Oklahoma or Oklahoma State,Eaton said, that could translate into earning nine to 11 cred-it hours. About 70 percent of Enid OSSM graduates stay instate, Jantz said. Thirty-five percent of those go into engi-neering, he added.

Jantz conducted a studya couple of years ago andfound Enid OSSM gradu-ates had gone on to 43 dif-ferent universities and hadearned 45 different de-grees.

Bottomlee is one of 10students in the OSSMmorning classes at AutryTech.

“The student-teacherratio is incredible for ahard class like this,” hesaid. “Each one of us,when we have a prob-lem, can go to Mr.Jantz, we can work together with Mr. Jantz or the other stu-dents.”

Enid OSSM students do more than just study, apparently.Jantz said two pairs of Enid OSSM alumni have married.

failure is not anOOppttiioonnEnid instructor makes sure to stayon his toes to keep up with students

MMiikkee JJaannttzz

JJeerreemmyy EEaattoonn

Dakota Bottomlee studies in the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics classroom at Autry Technology Center. (Photo Illustration / Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

Water pours from a faucet at therate of 950 cm3/min. Knowing the

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PE is no longer about rou-tinized calisthenics and gruelinglaps around the track imposed aspunishment.

Instead, physical educationteachers look to foster a lifetimelove of activities that leads tofitness and overall health.

Cindy Moore, PE teacher atHoover Elementary School, hastaught PE 26 years — the lasteight of them at Hoover.

“Childhood and adult obesityhas gone up,” Moore said. “We

try to do more things that wouldbe a lifetime sport.”

Moore and the other teachersat Hoover work together on arunning program that rewardsthem for their activity and canlead to entry in the OklahomaCity Marathon.

For every mile they run, theyare rewarded with a foot charmto wear on their necklace. Aftersix miles, they get a water bottleto keep.

Even the teachers are run-ning, setting an example fortheir students.

“The teachers are getting

after it with miles,” Moore said.“I’m at 46 miles.”

Moore also works to help stu-dents improve their performancein other classes. Math books andreading books can be found inthe gymnasium for students tograb during the occasional “freetime” during PE class. She alsoadds principles of math andreading to PE activities.

“We cup-stack around testingtime for the right/left brainthing,” Moore said.

She also focuses on findingkids things to do, activities likebowling, instead of sitting in

front of the television.“We have those kids who are

motivated and do the YMCAthing,” Moore said. “We havethose kids who are not. I try tomotivate those kids.”

If PE class is enjoyable, stu-dents don’t grow up thinking ofphysical activity as drudgery.

“We don’t want physicalactivity to be a punishment any-more,” Moore said.


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By Cass RainsStaff Writer

Thanks to two bond issues approved byvoters in 2009, improvements at Pioneer-Pleasant Vale Schools should be completeby the time students return to classes in thefall, said Superintendent BrentKoontz.

“We’re just finishingup on our construction,”he said. “We have someloose ends to tie up andfinishing touches to puton.”

Three years ago,voters approved twopropositions totaling$5.9 million forupdates and improve-ments in the GarfieldCounty school district.

The first propositionwas an $800,000 to fundtransportation and passedby more than 80 percent.

Proposition 2, which included anew gym, high school roof and science wingand a geothermal update of the HVAC sys-tem, passed 235-44, or by 84.2 percent. Bothwere well more than 60 percent, which isrequired of school bond issues.

“It had been a long time,” Koontz said,referring to a district bond issue passage.“We had some problems getting somethinglike that passed before.”

He said the new gym is more than twicethe size of its predecessor and featuresamenities to make everyone who uses it, orvisits, more comfortable.

“It’s about three times as much as ourprevious gym. It seats a little under 800people,” Koontz said. “We tried to put allthe touches in it that would make every-one comfortable, even the visitors. We try

to accommodate everyone.”Pioneer-Pleasant Vale hosted a basketball

tournament in early February, an event theold gym could not accommodate. Hostingsuch an event will spread the word about thefacility and get more schools interested in

playing there.He said the new gym also will

save money becauseteams won’t have to trav-el as much as before.

Koontz said theschool system gets “a lotof notoriety” for itsgym, but he is proud,too, of the otherimprovements.

“I’m just as equallyimpressed with thehigh school and

improvement to the edu-cation side,” he said.“The new heating and airunits, the new doors weput in and the new roof

system have kept our schoolsmuch cleaner, a lot healthier and lot

easier to look at.“It gives the kids something to be really

proud of.”He said those improvements were greatly

needed, and the students really appreciatethem.

“Our voters have been very gracious inpassing that,” he said. “We feel like we’vegot our money’s worth out of these improve-ments. I think we’ve spent every penny verywisely.”

Koontz said improvements will be madeto the schools’ parking lots, includingwheelchair access and making themAmerican with Disabilities Act compliant.

“We’re just trying to take care of whatwe have and make it as good as we canmake it.”

Bond issue projects approved by voters in 2009are now in final stages at Pioneer-Pleasant Vale


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SOMETHING TO BEpprroouudd ooffpprroouudd ooffThe new Pioneer High School gym is more than twice the size of its predecessor and features amenities to make every-one who uses or visits it more comfortable, according to Superintendent Brent Koontz. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)


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By James NealStaff Writer

Chisholm Public Schoolsis continuing to pursue invest-ment in the district’s future,with a proposed $1.35 millionbond issue set to build onrecent facility and technologyupgrades.

Chisholm superintendentRoydon Tilley said the districthas focused in recent years onupgrading classroom technol-ogy, and he hopes districtpatrons will continue to sup-port investments in technolo-gy and facilities.

“Abig focus for us for sev-eral years has been to improveour technology in our schools,and that’s been one of thebiggest areas of growth for usin the last seven years,” Tilleysaid. “We’ve replaced aboutevery computer in the district,we’ve got a SMART Board inabout every classroom in thedistrict and we’re abouthalfway to installing an iPadlab in the middle school.”

Tilley said white boardtechnology has improved theclassroom experience forteachers and students, largelydue to the fact the district hasinvested time and money intraining teachers to use thenew equipment.

“Our ability to educatewith them has improved sig-nificantly in the last four tofive years,” Tilley said. “It’s afine line between just havinga SMART Board and beingable to use it to advance thecurriculum.”

Past projectsTechnology and facilities

upgrades at Chisholm havebenefited significantly frombond issues in recent years.

Chisholm patrons haveapproved two bond issues inthe last six years: one for $3million in April 2006 and onefor $1.015 million in October2009.

The 2006 bond issue fund-ed construction of a multi-purpose facility at the middleschool, including a cafeteria,basketball court, band roomand storage area and two sci-ence laboratories.

The 2009 issue fundedbuses, technology upgrades, anew middle school roof, bandequipment, a new track andan indoor training facility forbaseball, softball and weight-lifting. The track was com-pleted last year, and theindoor training facilityopened at the beginning ofthis academic year.

Tilley said a combined$100,000 from the last twobond issues went to technolo-gy upgrades.

“We really try to put anydiscretionary funding we canfree up into upgrading our

technology,” he said. “We’revery proud of our kids and ourfaculty and what we’re able todo with our academics, andwe want to give our studentsand teachers the best toolspossible in the classroom.”

Charitable givingClassroom technology up-

grades at Chisholm also havebenefited from charitable do-nations.

Enid Running Club’sGreat Land Run has con-tributed nearly $100,000 toChisholm’s classroom tech-nology, along with morethan $200,000 to EnidPublic Schools.

Chisholm’s classroomtechnology upgrades wereboosted last year by $5,000 inmatching funds fromNorthcutt Toyota and $15,000worth of fundraising byChisholm Foundation.

Proposed projectsTilley hopes district voters

will continue their support forcapital improvements withthis April’s proposed bondissue.

The majority of the $1.35million bond issue, $775,000,would go toward the purchaseof five new, 71-passengerbuses and an activity bus. Til-ley said the current bus fleetincludes 1998 and 1999 bus-es, and the current activitybus, driven more than600,000 miles, “has becomeunreliable.”

The second-largest ex-pense outlined in the proposalis $200,000 for technologyupgrades, including 200 com-puters, new software andupdates to the district’s serv-ers and routers.

Other bond issue expendi-tures would be $150,000 for anew football and track pressbox, $100,000 for bandinstruments and equipment,$75,000 to replace the highschool air handling unit and$50,000 to replace middleschool lockers.

Tilley said the proposedbond issue includes a signifi-cant amount of funding forextracurricular activities be-cause they “keep studentsinvolved, improving andmaintaining their focus oneducation.”

“I’m a huge believer inextracurricular activities,” hesaid. “The kids learn a lot oflife lessons through extracur-ricular sports and extracurric-ular activities, and theextracurricular activities gearthe kids toward academic suc-cess. It’s imperative that weprovide our students withquality facilities and activi-ties.”

Voters will determine thefate of the proposed bondissue on April 3.

SSMMAARRTTSSMMAARRTTChisholm superintendent hopes votersOK technology, transportation projects

Chisholm Public Schools has proposed bond issues for an April 3vote. Pictured are (clockwise from top left) a banner in ChisholmHigh School’s office outlining the mission of the school, a newpress box at the Chisholm Longhorn football field, students wait-ing for a bus, newly completed softball and baseball indoorfacilities and an activity bus. (Staff Photos by BONNIE VCULEK)

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Columbia, S.C. – IveyDyson, of Waukomis,OK, has been named tothe 2011-2012 SouperBowl of CaringNational YouthAdvisory Board.Dyson is one of12 students fromnine states cho-sen to serve asa member of this presti-gious board. InSeptember, Dyson trav-eled to Columbia, SC toattend the organiza-tion’s national youthtraining retreat. Dysonwill return in Decemberto learn more aboutbeing an advocate forthe organization.

Souper Bowl ofCaring (SBoC) mobi-lizes youth across thenation to collect dona-tions and donate 100percent of their collec-tion to a local charity of

their choice on oraround the time of theSuper Bowl Footballgame. The organiza-

tion’s NationalYouth AdvisoryBoard (NYAB)is an exclusiveprogram com-prised of 12student leaders

from around the countryselected through a com-petitive national applica-tion process.

NYAB gives youngvolunteers an opportuni-ty to take a larger lead-ership role in the organi-zation. In addition tocoordinating SBoCevents within their localcommunities, NYABmembers serve asyouth spokespersonsfor the organization withlocal and nationalmedia, connect withother youth leaders

interested in making adifference, grow SBoC’sefforts in their communi-ties and offer feedbackand guidance to theSBoC staff.

Dyson is a sopho-more at Enid HighSchool who loves toperform. She is in theshow choir, sings in herchurch’s contemporarygroup and is on theEnid High drama team.Dyson volunteers for 4R Kid’s and SpecialOlympics and is a mem-ber of Family CareerCommunity Leaders ofAmerica (FCCLA).Through her work withSouper Bowl of Caringshe hopes to learn howto help reduce povertyin her community.

Other states repre-sented on the boardinclude New Jersey,Pennsylvania, Texas,Indiana, Florida, Ohio,North Carolina andSouth Carolina.

The first SBoC washeld over 20 years agoin South Carolina withonly 22 churches andhas since grown toinclude more than12,500 groups nation-wide. In 2011 260,000groups collected over $9million nationwide andevery penny went tolocal organizations thathelp people in need.

Dyson Named toNational YouthAdvisory Board

Ivey Dyson – Waukomis, OK `~ 2011-2012 SBOC NYAB

By Ivey DysonIt was such an honor to

be accepted on the NationalYouth Advisory Board forSouper Bowl of Caring. I'vegained so much: publicspeaking skills, knowledgeof poverty in our own back-yards, the courage to leadothers, and the ability tolead a movement in Enid togive back and show otherscompassion to those aroundus who are starving day-to-day.

On Feb 5th my youthgroup did indeed servelunch at the SalvationArmy. It was an amazingand eye opening experiencefor all of us.

I also got the opportuni-ty to speak at HayesElementary and LongfellowMiddle School abouthunger.

At our first NYAB meet-ing (Sept 2-5) was at theheadquarters in Columbia,SC. On the first night wewrote biographies for thewebsite(tacklehunger.org)andnewspapers and met othermembers of the NYAB. Thenext day we participated ina photo shoot for picturesthat were for and will con-tinue to be for this year'sSouper Bowl of Caringadvertising material. Wewent through lots of plan-ning and shared ideas abouthow to make an impact inour communities. On thesecond night we went to thepark where we playedsports, danced around andbonded with other membersof the board. Then we per-formed a miniature flashmob at the mall. On Sept 4we served breakfast tosome people who are hun-gry in Columbia. That wasthe first time I had ever par-ticipated at a soup kitchenand it really showed me

how many people are suf-fering. That night we hadpizza and a pool party. Thenext morning we each gavea speech about SBOC andthen parted ways.

At our second meeting(Dec 2-4) we all sharedabout our experiences withSouper Bowl of Caring upto that point. The next daywe discussed media rela-tions and had a mock inter-view. That night we went toTransitions, an amazinglygiving homeless shelter.That also happened to bemy first experience at ahomeless shelter. It wasamazing how giving andloving the workers and resi-dents were. I think peoplehave the wrong interpreta-tion about who the hungryand homeless are. Theyautomatically assume thatthose people are eitherdelinquents or lazy. I canassure you, that is a falsestatement. The people whoare starving have just beendealt a bad card. That's whywe do what we do. Becausewe would never want to bein that situation and have toface it alone. Souper Bowlof Caring helps the fallenstand up on their feet again.

After the tour ofTransitions, we participatedin a bowlathon to raisemoney for Souper Bowl ofCaring. SBoC is completelynon-profit. All money youraise in your communitygoes directly to the organi-zation of your choosing. AllSBoC asks is that youreport the amount of moneyraised. Because they arenon-profit, many fundrais-ing opportunities must takeplace, and our bowlathonwas an amazing fundraisingopportunity. I believe weraised around 5,000.

The next day we partedways for the very last time.

The firstSBoC was heldover 20 yearsago in South

Carolina

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By Robert BarronStaff Writer

Northern Oklahoma Col-lege Enid hopes to takeflight in the fall and add anaviation major that will pro-duce an associate’s degree.

Ed Vineyard, vice presi-dent for the Enid campus,said NOC is working withAviator’s Wing, a companyat Enid Woodring RegionalAirport, in a cooperativeprogram to provide flighttraining. NOC would offergeneral education instruc-tion. Students concludingthe program will earn a pri-vate pilot’s license and pos-sibly a commercial pilot’slicense. Students also mustpass all Federal AviationAdministration tests.

“We’ve offered it in thepast, but we added it in2000, and that’s when thewhole aviation industrywent into a dive. We sus-pended it, and now we’rebringing it back,” Vineyardsaid of the course, whichcurrently is in the approvalprocess with OklahomaState Board of Regents.

The aviation program,which will be included inthe school’s fall scheduleand course offerings list, isthe first new offering inEnid in several years due toflat budgets and cuts causedby a lagging state economy.Vineyard said the next yearstill will see a flat budget.The aviation program is theonly new degree beingoffered.

$2 million overhaulDespite a tight budget,

the campus will see some

improvements in the com-ing months.

Possibly the largestexpenditure will be with acompany that will replaceheating, air conditioning,lighting and insulation in allcampus buildings.

NOC has contracted withJohnson Controls, whichVineyard said is one of thelargest heat and air compa-nies in the nation. The com-pany did an audit and exam-ined the campuses in Enid

and Tonkawa before makinga $2 million rehabilitationproposal to replace old,inefficient equipment.

“It will make the wholecampus more comfortablefor students and also lowerour energy costs,” Vineyardsaid.

Vineyard said projects ofthis caliber are difficult toarrange because of a need toclose buildings duringwork. He said they will tryto do most of the work dur-

ing summer break or attimes when the studentcount is lower.

The first project targetslighting, which is easier tocomplete during higher traf-fic hours.

Field of medicineVineyard said the cam-

pus continues to see highinterest in its medical pro-grams.

NOC currently offers 70degrees, and about 25-30

can be completed on theEnid campus, he said. Many— such as surgery techni-cian, radiography, medicaloffice and the LPN pro-gram, which feeds into theRN program — are cooper-ative programs with AutryTechnology Center.Vineyard said medicine is abig field.

“When you add up allmedical-related majorsthere are about 370 studentsout of 1,100. That is rough-

ly one-third in the medicalfield,” he said.

The field of medicine isone of the fastest-growingin the United States becauseof the aging population anda continuing need for nurs-es, therapists and other spe-cialists.

Vineyard said the majorsNOC offers show good sup-port of the needs of thecommunity, which is themedical hub of northwestOklahoma.

A fu tu re i n NOC Enid to offer aviation major in the fall

We’ve offered it in the past ... and that’s when the whole aviation industrywent into a dive. We suspended it, and now we’re bringing it back.”

Ed Vineyard, vice president, Northern Oklahoma College Enid “fflliigghhttfflliigghhtt

Despite a tight budget, Northern Oklahoma College Enid will see improvements in coming months. Pictured are the campus sign (left) and a pillar that stands from Phillips University days. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

By Cass RainsStaff Writer

Northwestern Oklahoma State University has beenserving students and communities in northwestOklahoma for more than 110 years, and it strives tocontinue offering the best learning opportunities andspecial events.

“Over the last semester, and into this semester,we’ve had some really good events,” saidNorthwestern-Enid Dean Wayne McMillin. “We havehad an opportunity to host Gen. (Tommy) Franks. Wealso had our winter Chautauqua, which was very suc-cessful. I’ve been really pleased with a lot of theevents we’ve had that showcased the campus itselfover the course of the last semester.”

McMillin said the university’s programs are con-tinuing to strive for excellence.

“Our existing programs are doing well, and manyare pursuing accreditation in their fields,” he said.“Business, nursing, education and social work are allworking on accreditation or renewalof accreditation.”

New psychology courses areattracting the attention of many stu-dents.

“Criminal Psychology and Humanand Animal Interaction are new class-es that are very popular this semester,”McMillin said.

The Enid campus also continues topartner with Northern OklahomaCollege to offer students more educa-tional opportunities.

“We’re working on potentiallyoffering some science classes in theupcoming years (through the partner-ship),” McMillin said.

Northwestern-Enid assists adiverse population, including adultlearners, achieve their career and educational goals byproviding local, affordable access to higher educationthrough upper-level courses leading to bachelor’s andcomplete graduate degrees.

Upper-division courses for bachelor’s degree pro-grams are accounting, business administration, com-puter science, E-commerce, education, general stud-ies, history, nursing, political science, psychology,social work, sociology and technical management.

The college also offers complete master’s degreeprograms in education and counseling psychology

and co-ops with two other universities to offer a mas-ter of business administration degree.

Many students take advantage of the cooperativeagreements between Northwestern and Northern forcompletion of four-year degrees. Other students finishdegrees started earlier in life or transfer course workfrom other institutions.

McMillin said the university has been workingwith the governor’s office as part of the CompleteCollege America initiative to get more students to fin-ish degrees.

“We’re continuing to work on meeting the needsof the community and our students to best help pro-vide the upper division education needs they mighthave,” he said.

With a steady enrollment of 300 to 440 students asemester, McMillin said the university is seeing non-traditional students returning to the classroom or join-ing academics for the first time.

“I think students are looking at ways to broadentheir professional careers,” McMillin said. “A lot ofpeople we have at Northwestern are non-traditionalstudents who are coming back to school looking atsome of their passions and looking at some newdreams there.”

Traditional students, at the same time, are trying todefine their careers and find new avenues to fulfillthem.

McMillin said all Northwestern campuses andsites offer interactive televised classes for students.

“We’ve got quite an array of classes and advanceonline classes, most noticeably in the business depart-ment,” he said. “We have a wireless campus for ourstudents’ convenience and state-of-the art equipmentin computer labs as well.”

Showcasing northwest Oklahomaaa ppllaaccee ffoorr ‘‘ppaassssiioonnss’’ aanndd ‘‘ddrreeaammss’’aa ppllaaccee ffoorr ‘‘ppaassssiioonnss’’ aanndd ‘‘ddrreeaammss’’

NWOSU continues to reach outto its students and communities

Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid Dean WayneMcMillin (left) said the university continues to strive for excel-lence at its Enid campus (above) in addition to its main site inAlva and its other facilities. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

By Bridget NashStaff Writer

When Enid’s schoolchild-ren are envisioned, most thinkof rows of desks in class-rooms inside large buildings,but there are students who donot find themselves in the typ-ical setting.

Numerous parents in Enidtake on the task of schoolingtheir children at home, andmany of those homeschooledstudents also meet regularlyin “homeschool groups” withother homeschooled students.One such group is ClassicalConversations, which hostsmore than 50 homeschooledstudents each week.

“I homeschool my chil-dren,” said NeAnne Clinton,support manager for WesternOklahoma for Classical Con-versations. “We use the Clas-sical Conversations curricu-lum, and we meet every Tues-day as a group.”

Classical Conversations isa homeschool curriculum thatoperates on a model of educa-tion teaching required cur-riculum while instilling in stu-dents a desire for learning.

Since 1999, ClassicalConversations has providedteaching tools and training forparents as well as educationalmaterial for students.

“The thing that sets Clas-sical Conversations apart iswe have trained tutors,” saidClinton. “Trained (parent)tutors present the material tothe students each week. Theparents are required to sit inso they get the same informa-tion the student is getting.”

Tutors emphasize the pro-

gram’s classical tools of learn-ing: grammar, dialectic andrhetoric. Grammar begins thestudy, with dialectic — logicand discussion — and rheto-ric —the abil-ity tot e a c hthe topicto others— fol-lowing.

Clas-s i c a lConver-sa t ionsfocuseson afoundation of six subjects:timeline/history, geography,math, science, Latin andEnglish grammar.

Once the weekly groupsession is over, the parents’job has just begun.

“The parent is always incontrol of the child’s learn-ing,” Clinton said.

“Mothers and fathers arecertainly smart enough totrain their own children tolearn anything they want tolearn and to become produc-tive adults marked by integri-ty and wisdom,” said LeighBortins, Classical Conversa-tions founder.

Like many parents whohomeschool, Clinton said sheenjoys teaching her childrenhow to learn new things whilekeeping and strengtheningtheir Christian world view.

“Everything we learn andteach to our children incorpo-rates God, so we learn aboutthe world from a Christianperspective,” she said.

While homeschooling

may not be what many picturewhen they think of education,it is just a different way forstudents to learn the knowl-edge required to graduate andmove on to college, she said.

“My children enjoy it,”she said. “They enjoy home-school, and they enjoy thegroup.”

It is estimated more than36,000 Oklahoma studentsare homeschooled. Parentschoose the method for a vari-ety of reasons, from incorpo-rating religious views to con-cerns about large school envi-ronment or education quality.

“In Oklahoma, it is a con-stitutional right that you areable to homeschool,” saidClinton. “We don’t have thatright in every state.”

National Center for Edu-cation Statistics has estimated1.5 millions students arehomeschooled nationwide.

Other homeschool groupsin Enid include Enid AreaChristian Home Educatorsand Enid Homeschoolers.


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Hadleigh Drown, Henry Davis, Callie Gentry and Madeline Brown (from left) listen to tutor Heather Goddard during a home-school group session. It is estimated more than 36,000 Oklahoma students are homeschooled. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

The parent is always in controlof the child’s learning.”

NeAnne Clinton, support manager,Western Oklahoma for Classical Conversations“


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By Austin PrickettStaff Writer

Lincoln Academy specializesin building self-confidence, self-worth and self-discipline of Enid’snon-traditional students.

Jarry Hillman, Lincoln Aca-demy principal, said the schoolallows students to learn in a posi-tive, non-stressful environmentand helps transform them into pro-ductive members of the communi-ty.

The academy enrolls studentshaving issues with public schoolclasses, who are close to droppingout or who have dropped out.

“Our goal is for students to geta high school diploma,” Hillmansaid. “All students can learn, justin different manners, rates andreasons.”

The school teaches under themotto of “People don’t care howmuch you know until they knowhow much you care.”

“Once we show these kids howmuch we care for them, itbecomes much easier to teachthem,” Hillman said.

College materialThe school offers classes for

those in grades 6-12 fromLongfellow and Waller middleschool and Enid High School dis-tricts.

Morning classes are set for stu-dents close to dropping out, andnight classes are for those whohave dropped out. Students indrop-out recovery must interviewto earn a spot in the academy.

Hillman said vocational train-ing and counseling are big parts ofthe school.

“All of our stu-dents are counseled,”Hillman said.

Students can par-ticipate in Enid HighSchool extra-curricu-lar activities, and theygraduate throughEnid High.

“Our students arejust as good as otherstudents; they justhave an issue withattendance, depres-sion or are discour-aged,” Hill-man said.“Once wefigure outwhat theirproblem is;it helps us tobetter teachthem.”

E n r o l l -ment at theschool usu-ally fallsbetween 80and 90 students, according toHillman. The classes fill up fast,and potential students often areplaced on a waiting list. With sixfull-time teachers and one coun-selor, students have the opportuni-ty to interact more with theirteachers.

“The students feel like we carefor them,” Hillman said. “Webecome one, big family.”

He said small class sizes allowfor more individualized curricu-lum.

“We focus on upgrading self-worth and work hard on settinggoals. A lot of our studentsattend Autry Technology Centerand then move on to colleges,”Hillman said, adding all 59 stu-dents in the 2011 senior classgraduated.

Award-winningThe alternative education for-

mat has long attracted those morecomfortable outside the traditionalschool setting, and teen mothersoften feel they fit in well atLincoln Academy.

Hillman said the school cur-rently has around 20 teen momsattending class.

“We are very proud of our teenmoms,” Hillman said. “It is verydifficult to take care of a familyand work toward your diploma.”

Hillman said he gets the mostjoy out of his job when he seesdiscouraged kids realizing theireducational potential.

“It is so much fun to see thekids’ confidence build and seethem blossom right in front of

you,” Hillman said. “Test scoresare important, but I think improv-ing a child’s self-worth is moreimportant.”

The school offers summercourses in English and history aswell as mediation courses to helpstudents catch up on credits.

L i n c o l nAcademy wasfounded in1993. In 1998,the school wasrecognized byO k l a h o m aFoundation forExcellence asthe best drop-out preventionprogram in thestate.

The awardqualified the

school for a national award, andLincoln was selected as the out-standing alternative school inthe nation in 1999.

Hillman recently was award-ed GlobalHealth InspirationAward for making a differencein the community.

It is so much fun to see the kids’confidence build and see themblossom right in front of you.

... I think improving a child’sself-worth is more important.”

Jarry Hillman, principal,Lincoln Academy “

Lincoln Academy student LeeAnn Hallman, teacher Kelli Irvin, student KimberlyHenry and counselor Susie Skaggs (from left) meet while school is in session. Theacademy is part of the Enid Public Schools district. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

Lincoln Academyoffers teens educationin a non-stressful way

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By James NealStaff Writer

Oklahoma Bible Academyfinds itself in a state of contin-ued growth and transition thisspring as the school finishesits 100th academic year.

OBA Headmaster PaulMacDonald will pass on thereins of the private Christianschool, departing a facility sit-uated between a major capitalimprovement project and along-range, master plan thatcalls for more than doublingthe size of the campus.

MacDonald assumed theheadmaster’s post at OBAfive years ago after servingfor 25 years at EmmanuelChristian School. He willmove on after this school yearto take over as headmaster atCrossings Christian School inOklahoma City.

MacDonald has overseensignificant expansion at OBAduring his term as headmas-ter, including the addition ofsixth grade in 2009 and thecompletion last fall of theCentennial Building.

OBA’s enrollment, cur-rently about 280 students, hasgrown by approximately 50percent in the last 10 years.

“Some of that growth hasbeen due to the fact that weadded the sixth grade, andsome of it is that we have

larger classes now,” Mac-Donald said.

The school dedicated theCentennial Building lastAugust. The addition to themain building includes fiveclassrooms for middle schoolstudents, a lectorium and atwo-court practice gymnasi-um.

MacDonald said the pricetag for the new building, $1.3million, was minimized bythe donation of labor andservices from board membersand parents.

“It’s a lot of building for$1.3 million,” MacDonaldsaid, “and it will serve theschool well for a long time.”

The building was designedwith the expectation of laterexpansion to the south. Plans

call for the building to beexpanded by as much as 50percent to include lockerrooms and bleachers for thegymnasium, which wouldbecome the school’s primarygymnasium.

MacDonald said the exist-ing gym could become thepractice gym or could be con-verted into classrooms, butthose plans still are tentative.

More ambitious objectivesin the school’s master planinclude expanding the cam-pus and facilities to the southand east of the currentgrounds.

MacDonald said OBAowns 125 acres, including thecurrent campus, but most ofthat ground is undeveloped.

“There’s plenty of poten-

tial here for expansion, and Iexpect a lot of that willdepend on how fast Enidgrows,” he said.

The master plan, whichhas no associated timetablefor completion, includes con-struction of a field house,wellness center, larger class-room building, chapel andfine arts center. The plan alsocalls for constructing a foot-ball stadium, tennis courts,new baseball and softballfields and soccer fields.

MacDonald said theschool’s development plansare “parked in a good placefor now, and appropriately so,until the new headmastercomes in.”

Regardless of the pacewith which the school pursues

its physical expansion,MacDonald said he expectsacademic and spiritual growthto continue unabated under anew headmaster.

“I don’t want technologyand new buildings to be win-dow dressing,” he said. “Iwant real, quantitative meas-ures to show we’re doingsomething at OBA.”

“We want to provide agood spiritual foundation,because we care about whereyour kids are going to be1,000 years from now, and wewant to provide academicrigor, because we want themto have the tools to succeed 10years from now. We want tocontinue to focus on spiritualfoundation and to keep up ouracademic rigor.”

When it comes time toleave OBA this spring,MacDonald said he will beleaving with mixed emotions.

“OBA is a really goodschool, with really good kidswho are really engaged intheir spiritual life and theiracademics,” MacDonald said.“We’re going to Crossingsmore because I think theyneed some really mature lead-ership there, and I have beenleading Christian schools forthe better part of my adultlife.”

MacDonald said he willcontinue to serve full-time asOBA’s headmaster throughgraduation. He expects theschool’s board of trustees willname his successor within thenext six weeks.


A number of schools in and aroundEnid offer Christian-based curriculum,most providing elementary education butone offering high school classes andanother boasting both elementary andhigh school study.

St. Paul’s Lutheran SchoolSt. Paul’s Lutheran School is the

longest-operating private school in Enid,having opened its doors in 1941.Children now walk the halls in their par-ents’ and grandparents’ footsteps.

St. Paul’s is accredited throughOklahoma State Board of Education, andoffers all-day pre-kindergarten throughsixth grade. Third and fourth grades arecombined in one classroom, as are fifthand sixth grades.

Members of Lutheran churches get atuition discount, and multi-children dis-counts and scholarships are offered.

Before- and after-school care is avail-able at St. Paul’s.

Emmanuel Christian SchoolEmmanuel Christian School offers

pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Theschool opened in 1981 as an outreach ofEmmanuel Baptist Church.

The school building was renovated inhonor of the 50th anniversary of thechurch last year.

Hillsdale Christian SchoolHillsdale Christian School, located

in the small town of Hillsdale, openedin 1982 as an alternative for parentswho didn’t want their grade-schoolersbused to Kremlin when schools con-solidated.

It is housed in the former Hillsdale K-12 school building built by the WorksProgress Administration (WPA) after theoriginal Hillsdale school was destroyedby fire.

This year marks the school’s 30thyear. It currently has 75 studentsranging from pre-schoolers to sixth-graders.

Hillsdale Christian School is non-denominational and operates a bus thatpicks up students from two locations inEnid, Locke Supply and Oklahoma BibleAcademy.

It is accredited through the statedepartment of education and OklahomaPrivate School Association.

Saint Joseph Catholic SchoolSaint Joseph Catholic School, on

the south side of St. Francis XavierCatholic Church, reopened its doorsafter 25 years in fall 2001. The schooloffers pre-kindergarten through sixthgrade and is affiliated with St. FrancisXavier and St. Gregory the GreatCatholic churches.

Bethel Baptist AcademyBethel Baptist Academy, at Enid’s

Bethel Baptist Church, uses a curriculumdesigned for pre-schoolers through 12th-graders as a self-paced study in a one-room atmosphere.

Accelerated Christian Education isthe curriculum company as well asaccrediting agency for Bethel.

The school doesn’t operate on a“grade level” scenario but tests studentswhen they enroll and assigns curriculumwhere they fit in. Thus a student mightstudy math at a level public schools con-sider one grade and English at anotherlevel. The curriculum is divided into“paces.” A pace is equal roughly to agrade-level in public schools.

Oklahoma Bible AcademyOklahoma Bible Academy offers

middle school and high school education.Although the school is 100 years old, itcame to Enid in 1983 from its previoushome in Meno.

The private secondary school wasfounded in 1911 as Meno PreparatorySchool, operated by New HopedaleMennonite Church. It now stands inde-pendent of the Mennonite church, andstudents come from an assortment ofdenominations.

Oklahoma Bible Academy dedicated its Centennial Building last August. The addition to the main buildingincludes five classrooms, a lectorium and a two-court practice gymnasium (above). The school has a long-range,master plan (left) that calls for more than doubling the size of the campus. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

School completes100th year, lookstoward the future

OBA is in a state of growth

Enid area offering CChhrriissttiiaann

-based schools

Students sit in class at Hillsdale Christian School. Located in Hillsdale, the schoolopened in 1982 as an alternative for parents who didn’t want their grade-schoolersbused to Kremlin when schools consolidated. (Staff File Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)


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By Bridget NashStaff Writer

State and federal education fund-ing often leaves teachers wishing formore ways to bring innovative learn-ing into the classroom.

Public school foundations havestepped up to the plate, raisingmoney and awarding teacher grantsto bring new and exciting curricu-lum in the classrooms and makelearning come alive.

Enid Public School Foundationhas been able to fund $20,000 ingrants for teachers this year alone,providing enhanced learning materi-als to supplement curriculum.

“The Enid Public SchoolFoundation puts dollars where itmatters most — in the classroomwith our students,” said AmberGraham Fitzgerald, EPS director ofcommunity relations. “The founda-tion enriches the school experiencefor children by giving educatorstools to teach in even more creativeand innovative ways.”

Kim Blankenship, executivedirector of Enid Public SchoolFoundation, said signature donors inthe community help their cause byinvesting in Cherokee StripCommunity Foundation, an endow-ment from which dividends are usedto provide teacher grants.

Enid Public School Foundation

also holds fundraisers to raise moneyand provides scholarships to teach-ers who want to pursue a higherdegree, said Blankenship.

In the past, Festival of the Starswas a regular fundraiser for the foun-dation, but this spring the group willrevamp the fundraiser in hopes ofcreating a community event.

“The ‘E’vent” will be in Apriland feature school bands as well asother performers such as Enid alum-ni and local musicians.

“We really want to get this to be abig event and get community sup-port, not just parent support,”Blankenship said.

The foundation also hosts a fallfundraiser during which they honora community member who hasmade an impact on the district.

“The Foundation has also playeda critical role in outfitting our class-rooms with the latest technology forstudents,” Fitzgerald said.

Recently, Foundation memberslearned the district was in need of 69SmartBoards to outfit all core cur-riculum classrooms. During the2010-11 school year, the foundationraised $125,000, with another$125,000 donated by the Paul Allenfamily. The SmartBoards soon willbe in the classrooms.

But school foundations are mostrecognized for teacher grants, and inEnid those days do not disappoint.

Grant days are exciting times forfoundation members, teachers andstudents, Blankenship said.

“We want the teachers to tap intocreative ways to reach all children inthe classrooms,” she said. “That isour mission: We want innovative,creative things going on that reachall children in the classroom.”

Pioneer-Pleasant Vale, Chisholm

Enid’s Pioneer-Pleasant Vale andChisholm school districts also havefoundations the members of which

strive to bring innovation into theclassrooms.

“We know teachers are the fore-front of the education system and wewant to be able to help them,” saidAshley Ewbank of Chisholm PublicSchool Foundation.

Pioneer-Pleasant Vale has one ofthe youngest foundations, but mem-bers have worked hard to help teach-ers by awarding grants.

“We’ve given over $20,000 backinto the school system since 2004,”said Martha Gabriel, foundationpresident.

Pioneer-Pleasant Vale AcademicFoundation hosts an academic ban-quet each year to raise funds and rec-ognize students, and the foundationis planning to bring back its popularDuck Derby fundraiser this year.

Chisholm Public SchoolFoundation’s primary fundraiser isBig Night Out, a dinner and auction.Recently, the foundation also startedan endowment, Ewbank said, addingit “is something we are growing thatwill also contribute in the future.”

There are more than 200 publicschool foundations in Oklahoma.

Kaleb Reddick (top left) begins an art project while Saige Kinsey and Madyson Jennerjohn (above) work on their art during the Art Smart class atPleasant Vale Elementary School. The class is funded by a grant from the Pioneer-Pleasant Vale School Foundation. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

Enid and area schools’ fundraising groupsbringing innovative projects to classrooms

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By Robert BarronStaff Writer

Earning a GED is a majoraccomplishment and is muchmore difficult than peoplethink.

Clayton Nolen, directorof Carver Education Centerin Enid, said nationallyabout 40 percent of highschool graduates cannot passthe test. Those who did notgraduate high school mustpass the GED tests to get anequivalent to a diploma,which is required of manyemployers.

The test takes seven hoursand 15 minutes to complete.Free preparatory classes aretaught 9 a.m. to 11 a.mMonday through Thursdayand 6-p.m. Tuesday andThursday at Carver Center,which is part of the Enidschool system.

Those enrolling in theclasses must take TABE(Test of Adult BasicEducation) and are placedin appropriate levels ofinstruction based on thoseoutcomes.

“Our major goal isimprovement in academicskill level,” Nolen said.

Courses can last50 weeks or longerbased on individualneed. Some, Nolen said,have lasted up to 100 weeks.

When an individual isready to take the GED test,he or she must go the CarverCenter, 815 S. 5th, and applyonline.

Testing, testingIn addition to offering

prep classes, Carver is thearea’s GED testing center,and Nolen is a certified GEDtester.

He said test fees havegone up $75 recently due toincreasing costs from testingcompanies and other factors.

There are five areas of theGED test, which is timed.

• Language arts writing isthe first area, with 50 ques-tions that individuals have75 minutes to complete. Thetest involves sentence struc-ture, usage, organization,mechanics and an essay lim-ited to 200 to 250 words.

• Another section is socialstudies, consisting of 50questions with an 80-minutetime limit. The questionsconcern history, world histo-ry, economics, civics andgovernment and geography.

• In the science sectionthere are 50 questions to beanswered within a 50-minutetime limit. The questionsconcern life, physical (chem-istry and physics) and Earthand space science topics.

• Language arts readingfeatures 40 questions and a65-minute time limit. Thetest covers literary text,including poetry, drama, fic-tion and nonfiction prose.

• The fifth area of the testis mathematics. There are 50questions, a 90-minute timelimit and a calculator is pro-vided. The testing coversnumbers operation andsense, measurement andgeometry. The second part iscompleted without a calcula-tor and covers data analysis,statistics and probability,algebra, functions and pat-terns.

Nolen said the test formatwill change in 2014. It willbe based on common core

standards of education, hesaid, adding the test will con-tain rigorous content andapplication of knowledgethrough high order skills andwill build on strengths andlessons of current state stan-dards.

Hopefully, Nolen said, allstudents will be prepared tosucceed in a global econo-my.

Carver Center has beenasked to conduct a pilot pro-gram on the new test thissummer.

Other programsIn addition to its GED

courses, Carver instructs freeEnglish as a second languageclasses, which are 6-9 p.m.Monday through Wednes-day. Because of funding con-straints this year, Carver hadto eliminate afternoon ESLand satellite classes. Also,classes now are based onpre-enrollment; there is noopen enrollment as thereonce was, Nolen said.

The center also housesACTION, formerly knownas the gifted and talentedprogram. Instructor LaurieBushman goes to schools toteach students who qualify.

There also are two HeadStart classrooms for 3- to 4-year-olds at Carver Center.Breakfast and lunch are con-tracted through Enid

schools. The program’s eightstaff members are adminis-tered through OpportunitiesInc. in Watonga.

Reaching outEach afternoon Nolen

goes to the Garfield CountyDetention Center to overseethe education programsoffered. There is one teacherand a half-day assistant atthe detention center.

Nolen also goes to In-tegris Meadowlake Behav-ioral Center where there arefive teachers on staff, andSequoyah Boys GroupHome where there are twoteachers. All teachers areemployed through EnidPublic Schools. At CarverCenter there is also an adulteducation secretary and fiveteachers, he said.

“Oklahoma considers theGED the equivalent of a highschool diploma, which hashelped its recognition,”Nolen said. “Enid also hasthe third highest percentageof people passing the GEDin the State of Oklahoma,”he said.

Varna Nolen (top and above right) leads a class at Carver EducationCenter (middle right), which is located at 815 S. 5th. Mary Ann McCoy

(above left) instructs a science and social studies class at Carver EducationCenter. Clayton Nolen is center director. (Staff Photos by BONNIE VCULEK)

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By Jeff MullinSenior Writer

In the past, many students con-sidering their futures didn’t thinkit was “cool” to pursue jobsinvolving technical skills.

That may be about to change,said Autry Technology Centersuperintendent James Strate.

“Over the last few years itseems like we’ve convincedeverybody they need to have awhite-collar job with a computer,and it was not cool to get yourhands dirty,” he said. “We’ve gotto swing that pendulum back theother way.”

Presently in Enid, Strate said,there are more jobs available thanthere are trained workers to fillthem. Autry is working to closethat gap.

“There are over a thousandopenings for CDL truck drivers,”he said. “Diesel mechanics,welders, we could place a lot ofthem. But that’s a good problem tohave. These are all good-payingjobs.”

Autry receives calls every dayfrom businesses looking toemploy skilled laborers likewelders and diesel mechanics.

“We could place probably 100certified welders,” Strate said.“And there’s a huge shortage ofelectricians.”

Have your cake and eat it, tooReceiving technical training

and pursuing a college degree isnot mutually exclusive, Stratesaid.

“All of our programs here, wehave agreements with post-sec-ondary institutions where they canget college credit,” he said. “It’snot an either-or like it used to be.There’s a mesh now. You can doboth at the same time, very inex-pensively.”

Students taking Autry coursescan receive credit from NorthernOklahoma College for $8 percredit hour. For three years aftercompleting high school, eligiblearea students can attendAutry tuition-free, theironly out-of-pocketcosts being books orother related fees.

Autry, the districtfor which encompassesall of Garfield Countyas well as parts of fiveother counties, offers25 full-time, daytimeeducational programs.Five of those are full-time adult programs,primarily in the field ofhealth care.

Strate said morethan half of Autry’sdaytime enrollment ofsome 700 students ismade up of adults,while the rest are stu-dents from 10 areaschool districts. Adultsare on campus for sixhours a day, highschoolers for three.

High school students and adultsfind themselves learning side-by-side, Strate said.

“Our programs are driven bythe local industry needs,” Stratesaid.

Autry also offers a wide varietyof evening classes, Strate said,everything from welding and elec-tronics to cake decorating and dogobedience.

“Health programs around hereare just exploding on us,” he said.

Getting out in the communityAutry does more business and

industry training than any otherschool in the OklahomaCareerTech system. Last schoolyear, Strate said, Autry had 27,579

students in business and industrytraining.

“We have over 20 full-timeemployees just working with busi-ness and industry,” Strate said.

As part of its business andindustry programs, Autry has part-nerships with various local busi-nesses, Strate said, includingAdvancePierre Foods, OxbowCalcining, Koch Nitrogen, CSCApplied Technologies and Mid-Continent Packaging, among oth-ers.

“Our people are out there on adaily basis helping those business-es be profitable and safe,” Stratesaid. “Whatever their trainingneeds are, we can tailor-make it.”

Autry also offers a youthfuloffender welding program at EnidWoodring Regional Airport. Thisprogram, funded in part by thestate Department of Corrections isopen to as many as 12 young, non-

violent offenders, most of whomare 18-21 years old.

“We can place them as fast aswe train them,” Strate said. “Andthey go out of there starting usual-

ly $14 to $18 an hour plus bene-fits. I look at that as a huge successbecause I’d much rather for themto be out working and payingtaxes than for us to be paying forthem to be incarcerated.”

Outside venturesCenter for Business

Development, which bearsStrate’s name, is, he said, “anotherexciting thing for Autry.” The cen-ter offers services and facilities tohelp those attempting to start newbusinesses. At the center’s busi-ness academy, prospective entre-preneurs are taught how to preparea business plan, how to securefinancing, accounting, marketing,product design, “Whatever it takes

to run that business,” Strate said.The newest business academybegan with 25 students.

“If five of the 25 go into busi-ness, it’s a success,” Strate said.

“The other 20, if you’ve helpedthem see that they don’t have agood plan, that they don’t need tobe going into business, you’vealso done a service for them.There’s no need to risk your lifesavings to fail.”

Autry also is home to a branchof Oklahoma School of Scienceand Mathematics, which providesclasses for gifted students in sci-ence and math.

The future for Autry willinvolve added involvement withbusiness and industry, Strate said,especially in the area of safetytraining.

“It’s exciting to be a part of it,”he said. “Every day’s a differentday; there’s no two of them alike.”

NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA COMING SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA COMING SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

AUTRY TECH: EDUCATION THAT ISOfficials say school is readyto train the area work force ttaaiilloorr--mmaaddee

Autry Technology Center superintendent James Strate says there are more jobs available than trained workers to fill them. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

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2012 on the horizon: education

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