MetroTech Foundation Sowing Seeds of Hope 2018

The Sowing Seeds of Success Banquet helps fund Metro Tech Foundation's model for helping its students finish their training and move into the workforce and/or more education. The outstanding students honored for their accomplishments are the stars.

This year's event was even more exciting since the foundation has a new executive director, Ashleigh Gibson. Ashleigh, who actually began the Goodwill GoodGuides Mentoring Program for Goodwill of Central Oklahoma, was subsequently a Mentor of the Year in 2016. She is an enthusiastic, accomplished, smart addition to advocate for and direct the foundation. 

Photos of award recipients are below.

Sponsors and Scholarship Recipients

Carlos Castaneda, Dr. James Branscum Excellence in Character Scholarship

Third from right, Carlos Castaneda, honoree, and Derek Lollis

The award looks primarily at the character of the individual applicant. Open to adult or high school students for outstanding character in the classroom, workplace, and community and is the highest award bestowed by the Metro Tech Foundation. Dr. James Branscum 

served as Metro Tech’s Superintendent for 13 years.

Isabella Gonzales, Dr. Donna Neal Thomas Scholarship

Isabella Gonzales

Available to adult students or high school seniors at Metro Technology Centers enrolled in health occupations or health science education

Ebony Pettigrew, Meredyth Campbell Memorial Scholarship

Ebony Pettigrew

Available to Metro Technology Center adult or high school students who are completing their program in May of the current year from Graphic Design majors or Video & Web Design majors.

Samantha Bradford, Miranda Shifflett and Andrea Terrill, 

Meredyth Campbell Practical Nursing Awards

Cesar Escobar, Ron Huff Master Welder Scholarship

This scholarship is presented to adult or high school students in the Metro Technology Centers welding career major.

Jose Hernandez and Huong Le, Grainger Tool Scholarship

Jose Hernandez and Huong Le

Available for adult and high school students enrolled in the Metro Technology Centers welding, aviation, and construction programs

Miguel Payan, Dr. Dennis L. Portis, III Memorial Scholarship

Miguel Payan and Luz Payan

Available to high school seniors at Metro Technology Centers enrolled in the Pre-Engineering or Biomedical paths of the Metro STEM Academy

Noel Mason, Huong Le and Conner Hilbern

LaNeeta Bradley, Shovandah Toliver and
Raeven Franklin

Left, Alyssa Mendenhall

Stephen Freeman

Site Director Student of the Year Award Winners (High
School): Miguel Payan, Conner Hilbern, Jherra Martin,
Raeven Franklin, Alora Golden and Lizet Vasquez

Sharing Stories

Rocio Alvarado, OSU-OKC, wants to be an interpreter in the healthcare and is pursuing the MRI/modality radiology program. Her education was catastrophically interrupted when her father was diagnosed with cancer and her mother suffered a second stroke. With her parents' not being able to work, finishing school seemed impossible. Her classmates pitched in money and gift cards to assist. Rocio finished school, merited a job and paid insurance.

In 2015, Kedriuna Townsend was severely injured in a car accident when she was pursuing biological sciences at UCO. Almost every bone in her body was broken, and she lost movement in her right arm. MetroTech Foundation gave her a laptop and internet access to help her achieve her goals. [As a beauty pageant competitor, her platform is mentoring through M.O.N.A. L.I.S.A, which encourages young people to be comfortable in their own skin and never pass nor fear judgment given by today's society. Not letting anything stand in her way, Kedriuna was crowned Miss Black UCO for 2018-19.] 

Tonisha Lamkin, a senior at ASTEC Charter School, is a third-year MetroTech biomedical student. Tonisha, a MetroTech Student Ambassador because of her speaking skills, also participated in parliamentary team competition because of her leadership skills. Her determinatin of becoming a dermatologist was rocked when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer late in the disease's progression. MetroTech Foundation has given her a light at the end of the tunnel and the support to push through.

Ashley Gibson, Executive 
Director, Metro Tech Foundation

Ashley Curtis Gibson has her own story about how a little help produces rippling life changes. In 1995, John, her father, had retired from the army after 22 years. Although a decorated veteran, he found getting a job hard. A law enforcement department offered him a job, but he had to be CLEET certified. John Curtis drove from Drummond to Oklahoma City four days a week for the training. An anonymous donor donated money to make this training possible. In 1996, John completed the training and walked across the stage in the Metro Tech auditorium. As a police officer, he felt he had helped others. He had became a sheriff's deputy and a licensed minister. 

Ashleigh later became the first person in her family to graduate from college. Her young life already has a history of accomplishment and helping others, and she is perfectly suited to lead MetroTech Foundation and affect the lives of MetroTech students.

MetroTech 

Cindy Friedemann, executive 
officer, district strategy and 
economic development

Cathy Story, program coordinator, 
district strategy and development,
Metro Technology Centers

Banquet Tablemates

Derek Lollis, director, Metro
Technology Centers South 
Bryant Campus

Debi Moore, director of administration, 
Gaylord Family Foundation, and Achee
Park, commercial sales manager,
Cox Communications

Results of the 2018 Banquet

Remember the impact of donations to MetroTech Foundation.

                     

Teacher Mentor and Community Mentor Model

2015 Bob S. Gee Scholars and their mentors gather for meeting at the Miami Public Schools Administration offices. The program, which provides mentoring and financial support to students, is sponsored by the Miami Public Schools Enrichment Foundation.

2015 Bob S. Gee Scholars and their mentors gather for meeting at the Miami Public Schools Administration offices. The program, which provides mentoring and financial support to students, is sponsored by the Miami Public Schools Enrichment Foundation.

Miami Public Schools Enrichment Foundation has created a two-mentor plus model. 

Highlights of Gee Scholars

• Teacher mentor
• Community mentor
• Mentee: FRSL, 8th - 12th grade
• Mentee's progress tracked
• Financial assistance

Robert S. Gee Scholarship Program
 

The Robert S. Gee Scholarship Program, sponsored by the Miami Public Schools Enrichment Foundation, was established in 2005 to provide both financial and mentoring support to help launch students toward personal and academic success.
 

"The program seeks out students in eighth through 12th grades who have shown a high degree of academic ability but whose socio-economic situation presents barriers to reaching their full potential," said longtime program chairman Ginny Stinson.
 

To participate, students must be nominated by a teacher and be eligible for the federal free and reduced lunch program. Students selected for the program receive intensive mentoring from both a teacher mentor and community mentor, who is often a foundation board member. The student and his or her mentors establish their own mentoring schedules, and the chairperson of the Gee Scholarship Committee meets with each student on a regular basis to track his or her progress.
 

Scholars also receive financial assistance to pursue academic and extracurricular activities. Once selected, the students remain in the program throughout high school. The program is funded from community donations and interest income from the Gee Scholarship Fund, providing approximately $500 to $700 per year to each student for school-related expenses, which must be approved by the scholarship committee.
 

"Appropriate requests for financial assistance include almost anything that assists the student in pursing academic or extracurricular endeavors, such as band, debate, science fair, etc.," Stinson said. "Senior Gee Scholars often use their funds for college applications, graduation supplies or college enrollment fees."
 

Since the program began, it has distributed more than $25,000 to 30 Gee Scholars. Stinson said the program's success can be measured by the strong community support and the many Gee Scholars who have been admitted to college, including two who received full-ride college scholarships.
 

"Gee Scholars themselves help raise funds and general community support for the program by sharing their stories and plans for the future at the foundation's annual fundraising dinner, the Blue Event," Stinson said.

Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. (2016) Three Public School Foundation ProgramsTo Be Recognized for Outstanding Achievement [Press release]. 

                      

Metro Tech Foundation's Sixth Banquet & Awards

Metro Tech's 6th Annual Foundation Banquet was another huge success. The personal stories of students recognized often were amazing. Various foundation expenditures include student scholarships, grants, and recognition.The financial reporting on how foundation funds are deployed to help keep students in school and/or launch them into their first jobs would make even the smallest donor proud.

If you are unfamiliar with this model foundation, the first Metro Tech Seeds of Hope Banquet we attended is chronicled at http://okmentor.blogspot.com/2013/06/model-foundation-mentoring-program.html. 

Partnerships and innovation focus upon increasing opportunities for Metro Tech students. For example, the Lunch & Learn program is 10-week opportunity for students to eat lunch and learn life skills. At the end of the session, Tinker Federal Credit Union establishes a savings account with $100 for each L&L "graduate."

Students along with faculty and staff also are fundraising for the foundation. The student-designed and executed Zombie Dash 3K generated so much fun on campus as well as revenue that it is being expanded as an annual event. Students, faculty, and staff also have restaurant nights at places like Johnnie's, a beloved area hamburger restaurant.

One of the Rock Stars of the Metro Tech Foundation

Ruben Aragon received the Don R. Wright Award, explained below. Mr. Aragon was the architect of increased fundraising but more importantly the policy of not hoarding foundation funds. He envisioned the foundation's spending to assist students who needed a hand up in order to finish their education. That need might be a new tire, a utility payment, or other. Mr. Aragon through his leadership and vision has done so much more to change the lives of the Metro Tech students and enhance Metro Tech in general. Bravo!

Ruben Aragon

Don R. Wright Award 

Don Wright was a charter member of the Metro Tech Board of Education. He was a WWII hero and a member of what some call the greatest generation. His war memoirs can be found on display at the Oklahoma Historical Society.  The award is given for outstanding board service to an outgoing member of the Metro Tech Foundation Board of Trustees who exemplified a spirit of  energy, leadership, and commitment to helping make a difference. The past recipients awarded by the foundation have been Tom Hill, Pat Potts, Dick Beshear, Jan Carroll and Barbara Batchelor. 

Foundation Information 

Program Cover & Officials

Agenda & Honorees 













































































A Little More We Learned

Community Service Participation Initiative

Metro Tech also sponsors a Community Service Participation Initiative through which students, faculty, and staff host blood drives, participate in United Way fundraising efforts, and volunteer for area nonprofits with high community impact. This initiative is one of various learning opportunities.
Billie Smith, community relations/social media specialist for Metro Tech, wrote:

[The Community Service Participation Initiative is] aimed at engaging stakeholders while positively impacting the local, state and national community. Community service projects are built into the curriculum to stimulate a sense of teamwork among employees and students as they choose community service sites and volunteer together, giving teachers the opportunity to connect more with students on a more personal level. Students show citizenship, make a difference and learn the value of giving back as they apply soft skills acquired in the classroom to real-life situations, bringing the Metro Tech Mission to life.

http://www.okethics.org/assets/Awards/CommunityImpact/metro%20tech%202014%20community%20impact%20award.pdf    Ret. 5-6-15

Donation of a Car (excerpts from a Newsok.com article)

Metro Tech Executive Officer Matt Campbell lost his wife, Jessica, in a traffic accident.

Matt Campbell, Jessica Campbell and their granddaughter Sophie Campbell. PHOTO PROVIDED

In December, Campbell announced the donation of his late wife’s car, a 2009 Toyota Corolla, to the Metro Tech Foundation, a nonprofit established to assist students during financial hardship.

The foundation received 67 eligible student applications that were placed into a blind draw. Application criteria included a steady income, valid driver’s license and ability to secure automobile insurance.

Before the winner was announced, Campbell addressed the crowd of students.

“I am also a Metro Tech graduate who had transportation issues getting through school. I know Jessica would want her car to help a student here overcome that struggle,” he said.

The winning student, Samiyah Dungee, a second-year adult cosmetology/nail technician student, works part-time and attends classes at Oklahoma City Community College and Metro Tech.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-metro-tech-leader-gives-car-to-student/article/5383187 

Minh Ton

Minh Ton, recipient of the 2014 James D. Branscum Scholarship, spoke at the banquet. Each year the stories of the achievements and drive of all of the honorees are amazing. A former Metro Tech biomed student, Minh is focused upon becoming a dentist. She came to America at age 10. 
http://metrotech.edu/news/biomed-student-wins-prestigious-clara-luper-scholarship 

People Photos





















Jimmy McKinney, Metro Tech Board of Education and president of McKinney Heat & Air, Inc.,; Jennifer McKinney, Jimmy's wife; Elizabeth Richards, Metro Tech Board of Education and attorney and counselor at law, Richards Law Firm; Bob Parrish, associate superintendent of business & operational services and Metro Tech Board of Education treasurer, Metro Tech Centers




Cecilia Robinson, Ed.D., Superintendent of Millwood Schools, and Liz Guerrero-Lee, Community Outreach and Parent Resource Coordinator at Metro Technology Centers. Guerrero-Lee is also a mentor in the Oklahoma ArtScience Prize.















Applause for Cindy Friedemann, chief officer for strategy and market development at Metro Technology Centers! She produces results in a pleasant way.


New MTF Fundraiser - First Golf Tournament


























Cookies!


Although we do not advertise for those marketing to mentoring groups, we would be remiss not to mention these cookies on the tables at the fundraising luncheon. Seriously, they melt in one's mouth! These were packaged take-a-ways under tiered individual desserts. Not a cookie was left anywhere. We all looked!





If you have never attended one of the Metro Tech Foundation banquets, you should. We all left feeling proud of Metro Tech, warmed by the students' stories of focus and accomplishment, and satisfied with how our donations are being spent.

http://www.metrotech.edu/