Single mom’s among tech center award winners
EL RENO — Kiersten
Williams relocated to the Oklahoma City area last year, leaving behind a bad family situation in Missouri.
The single mother of two children under 5 tried to find work to no avail.
An acquaintance told her Canadian Valley Technology Center has a program that could assist her with child care while she retrained.
Williams enrolled in CV Tech’s PIVOT program in November while she awaited an opening in computer information systems.
She started classes on Jan. 5 and finished early, with 10 months of coursework completed by early May. Dell Computers hired her at $18.75 per hour.
“I told her I would never retire if I had students like her every year,” said Don DeWald, Williams’ instructor.
“She never wasted a moment of time. She finished everything and got two certifications while she was here.”
Williams is one of many success stories for the 2016-17 school year and is one of three CV Tech Foundation outstanding scholars.
It’s a title that carries with it a $1,000 cash gift and the personal satisfaction of knowing she is among the very best students.
She is joined as an outstanding scholar by high school students Grace Austin, of Mustang, and Chase Clawson, of Yukon.
Austin completed the health careers program at CV Tech’s Dr. Earl Cowan Campus in Yukon and plans to enroll at Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma City campus in pursuit of a vet tech degree. She hopes to continue at OSU in Stillwater and wants to become a veterinarian.
Clawson, who is homeschooled, completed two programs at CV Tech on different campuses and never missed a day in two years at the school. He completed the preengineering program at the Cowan Campus and computer programming at the El Reno Campus. He will attend the University of Tulsa and plans a career in computer science.
Canadian Valley had 286 graduates in the north side of the district and 106 in the south part of the district.
Other significant recognitions this year include Superintendent’s Meritorious Award winners Quinn Bradley, of Mustang, in biomedical sciences, and Thuan Tran, of Moore, in aviation maintenance technology.
Awards in memoriam were presented to: Matthew Moss, of Yukon, for the Dr. Marvin Denny Memorial Scholarship Award; Garrett Mouse, of Yukon, winner of the HVAC award in memory of Howard Griffin; Storm Leslie, of Bethany, and Chelsea Hays, of Yukon, the Faith & Love Award in memory of Darlene Koos; and Lions Club award recipients Karla Monjaraz, of Bethany, for the Wendall Ford Memorial Achievement Award, and Brandon Simonson, of Mustang, for the Bud Schulz Memorial Achievement Award.
I told her I would never retire if I had students like her every year. She never wasted a moment of time. She finished everything and got two certifications while she was here.”
Don DeWald, Kiersten Williams’ Instructor