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2010: January • February • March • April • May • June • July
Northeast Technology Students Cook With Master Chefs
For an aspiring chef, the opportunity to work side by side with an experienced, master-chef in a gourmet kitchen is a dream come true. For two Northeast Technology students, that dream became a reality.
Hayden Hutton, an adult Culinary Arts student from NTC’s Pryor Campus, along with David Ingram, a senior Culinary Arts student from NTC’s Afton campus, lived this dream last month in Tulsa, as they participated in the Oklahoma Restaurant Association’s annual event “Odyssey de Culinaire.” The event was held on Thursday evening, July 29th, at Tulsa’s Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.
Odyssey de Culinaire is a fundraising and awareness dinner, held annually in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City, to benefit the Hospitality Career Initiative of the Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation. For the Tulsa event, five master chefs from Oklahoma City prepared a gourmet meal for attendees, and for the Oklahoma City event, five master chefs from Tulsa did likewise for their attendees. Funds raised from the event are used to provide support to students, teachers and schools who are part of the Hospitality Career Initiative, including teacher training and development, materials and resources for student recruitment, assistance with job placement for internships, and graduate employment and industry-driven events for hospitality students.
Each of the five chefs paired with one culinary student from a ProStart School in that half of the state. Northeast Technology Center was proud to have two of the five students that were invited to participate in the Tulsa event. Hayden Hutton, an adult student from Pryor in his second year at NTC Pryor, teamed with Chef Ryan Parrot of The Iguana Mexican Grill. David Ingram, a senior from Miami high school in his second year at NTC Afton, teamed with Chef David Henry from The Tasting Room and Lobby Bar.
The experience was truly an inspiring opportunity for these students, as they were able to witness and participate first-hand in the workings of a gourmet kitchen.
Photo: Hayden Hutton, an adult student from Pryor in his second year in the Culinary Arts program at Northeast Technology Center, recently participate in Odyssey de Culinaire in Tulsa. The event is held annually by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, and is a fundraiser to further culinary and hospitality education in Oklahoma. Hutton was one of five students form Eastern Oklahoma to participate in the event. He was paired with a professional chef and worked alongside that chef in preparing one of the gourmet courses of the dinner.
NTC Pryor Students Run for a Drug Free Life
Students from Pryor's Northeast Technology Center's Health Careers Class participated in the "Run for a Drug Free Life" 5K run, Saturday, August 28, at Mohawk Park in Tulsa.
Run for a Drug Free Life was established four years ago to bring awareness about substance abuse and the effects on our families, work and community.
All proceeds from the event go to Palmer drug treatment programs. Palmer drug treatment program was established in Tulsa in 1981 by a group of community leaders to offer assistance to teenagers who were struggling with drugs and alcohol.
Photo: (L to R) Greg Sneed, Palmer Run coordinator; Kaleb Pierce, NTC Student - Claremore; Jennifer Ford, Health Careers Instructor – NTC Pryor; Corey Feeney, NTC Student – Claremore; and Jeff Harjo, Palmer Continuum of Care Director.
Tracker Marine wins Partners for Progress Award for Partnership With Northeast Technology Center
Tracker Marine in Miami, OK, has been a partner with Northeast Technology Center since 2007. The partnership and collaboration between the two has flourished and yielded win-win results for both.
Earlier this month, this partnership was honored and recognized by the State Department of Career and Technology Education at its annual Summer Conference held in Tulsa August 2nd and 3rd. Tracker Marine was awarded the Partners for Progress Award from the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. The purpose of the award is to recognize businesses and industries that have made outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development, and progress of career and technology education.
Tracker Marine’s Miami plant produces fiberglass runabouts, deckboats and light inshore fishing boats under Tahoe and Mako brands. The plant employs 200-plus who keep the plant moving forward under a philosophy of continuous improvement. Anyone in the plant will tell you that their production cycle is a “team” effort focusing on four aspects of business: safety, quality, delivery and cost.
“We strive to provide a safe, uncompromising and inspiring place to work that produces quality boats while continuing to develop our team,” said Amy Wyrick, human resources manager at Tracker.
Under the leadership of Plant Manager Ramin Zarrabi, the culture of the company has changed, and it is evident that the employees are proud of what they do. Northeast Technology Center in partnership with Grand Lake Manufacturer’s Council offers an 8-week Supervisor Series twice a year, and Tracker always sends new participants. At one point the entire series was offered specifically for Tracker’s upcoming supervisors, and the plant manager attended every session right along with the students.
Tracker was also the first to implement TWI (Training Within Industry) training sessions on both Job Instruction and Job Relations, and representatives from Tracker jumped on the opportunity to provide a TWI training testimonial at the GLMC quarterly meeting. The buy in comes from the top down and training is always ongoing.
Zarrabi has developed a relationship with NTC Auto Collision instructor Jim Harlan. Jim has placed several former NTC students in positions at Tracker and now. These students have then been so successful as new employees, that Tracker has committed to find a position for any student Harlan recommends. The plant manager even took the time to attend an NTC board meeting so that he could share his enthusiasm for the relationship with NTC, its programs, and instructors.
Tracker has also assisted the program with donations of $9,000 in equipment and supplies to help prepare students for work in the fiberglass / composite industry. At the request of the plant manager a new training program has been implemented with NTC for all supervisory and lead people in composites. This class is held onsite at Tracker and will run for seven weeks. Once again, Zarrabi is attending these sessions along with the team and has assigned three leaders to follow up with their team members during the week to discuss and review upcoming chapters in the training so that they will be well prepared for the next session.
Tracker believes that an investment in people pays dividends in hiring and retaining quality employees. It is evident when touring the facility that employees truly feel a sense of pride and ownership in the company.
“It’s been an amazing journey for us. We have made tremendous progress here,” Zarrabi said. “We have laid a foundation that we can now build upon. If you look around, we have touched every area of our value stream. With the Tahoe and Mako boats we want to deliver highest quality products that match Tracker’s value proposition to our customers. “Miami has a rich boat-building history, dating back some 40 years, and I think we are bringing that pride back.”
Former Northeast Technology Center Student Cooks His Way Toward His Career and Serves Those in Need
When Tim Lang joined Karen Wilson’s Culinary Arts program at Northeast Technology Center his senior year in high school, he couldn’t have imagined where it would take him. Lang had worked for Sonic and knew he enjoyed working in the food service industry, so decided to sign up for the Culinary class at NTC during his senior year at Inola high school.
While at NTC, Lang developed a passion for the Culinary Arts, and decided to take the plunge and continue his studies in culinary school. Over the course of the past year, he has been living in Las Vegas, attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. For the culmination of his studies at the school, Lang has come home to fulfill his externship requirement at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
Going from his hometown of Inola, OK, to Las Vegas was a big change for Lang. But the experience was an invaluable one to him, expanding his idea of what possibilities might be in store for him. He will complete his externship at the Food Bank in about two months, and will then have completed his Associates in Occupational Science degree from Le Cordon Bleu. After that, he intends to take online classes working toward his bachelor’s degree.
“Having someone like Tim working here [at the Food Bank] has proved to be a tremendous asset,” says Jonathan Haring, Director of Culinary Services at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Lang started at the Food Bank in mid-June.
Lang is trusted with many duties day to day, and might be creating desserts for a fundraising event in the morning, and helping dive in to prepare fresh food meals for Food Bank assistance recipients in the afternoon. No two days are alike.
The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma supports over 450 food distribution entities and serves 24 counties in Eastern Oklahoma. Their kitchen allows them to prepare fresh food and use the large amount of donated produce they receive every day. Over the last two years, the Food Bank has seen over a 40% increase in demand from those needing assistance.
The Food Bank is largely supported by generous private donations, charities, corporate donations, some government initiatives, and returns and donations from local grocery stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, and more. They are also supported by a large number of volunteers, who work to ensure that the Food Bank achieves its mission.
“We would have to hire twelve full-time staff members to match the total of all of the volunteer work we receive,” Haring said.
Last year, the Food Bank distributed 47,503 cooked meals, and this year will distribute over 54,000.
During his time at the Food Bank, Lang has worked in catering fundraising events, worked with the volunteers and helping coordinate their efforts, and more.
“It’s been great having Tim here,” Haring said,” because he knows what he’s doing and I can pretty much turn him loose on something and he does it well.”
For Lang, it’s been a fulfilling way to round out this past year of Culinary education. “Being in the culinary arts never seems to get boring,” Lang said. “There are a lot of things you can do within the culinary field.”
As for future plans beyond his externship at the Food Bank, Lang has already begun working as a line cook in a local hotel kitchen, and plans to continue his culinary studies. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit.
“My biggest goal is to someday open my own restaurant featuring Caribbean cuisine,” he said. If the hard work and skill Lang has demonstrated so far in his culinary studies is any indication, then Lang has a good chance of seeing that goal become reality.
Photo: Tim Lang, a former student at Northeast Technology Center, is pictured above cooking at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Lang was a student in NTC’s Culinary Arts program his senior year at Inola high school, then spent the past year at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. Lang is completing his externship from the school at the Food Bank, and will then complete his Associates degree in Occupational Science.
NTC Students Learn How to Earn College Credit for Northeast Technology Center Courses
Northeast Technology Center is very excited to inform Juniors, Seniors, and Adult students of an opportunity to earn “Tuition-Free College Credit” while attending NTC. The Cooperative Alliance Agreement enables a Northeast Technology Center student to receive college credit for their technical courses simultaneously while attending NTC in approved programs / career majors. The Cooperative Alliance Agreements are part of a commitment by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to work together for the benefit of the Oklahoma students.
Over 3,900 college credit hours were earned by students while attending NTC last year through these Cooperative Alliance Agreements. Colleges participating under the Cooperative Alliance with NTC are NEO A&M College, OSU Institute of Technology, and Rogers State University. The number of college credit hours granted varies from college and technical program.
The demand for more technicians is prompting the realization that an Associate's Degree in Applied Science and / or Bachelor's Degree in Technology, combined with a technical background, provide lucrative educational and career opportunities. Not only will students receive technical training of the highest quality from an instructor of the nation's best technical education system, but they also have the opportunity to receive a college degree from a fully accredited college. This will allow a student to obtain higher-level management positions in a technology field. Students who qualify for college credit through their NTC program can have approved courses become part of an official college transcript by a participating college at the end of each semester co-enrolled.
Costs are minimal for a student to take advantage of the Cooperative Alliance. College tuition is waived, but there is an $8.00 per credit hour fee assessed for the college credit that will be granted by the participating college. High School students who qualify for an ACT Fee Waiver can have their co-enrollment fees waived if documentation is provided to NTC. Last year 1,220 college credit hours were free to NTC students because documentation for a Fee Waiver was provided to NTC. A Parent Statement of Understanding form has to be completed and signed by the parent/student and the high school student must meet one of the following criteria while at NTC before earning college credit with one of the Alliance colleges:
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.5; or
- A composite score of 15 on the Plan Test taken during the sophomore year; or
- A composite ACT score of 19.
To learn more on how students can take advantage of this great cost savings opportunity, NTC will be hosting participating colleges on each of the campuses to co-enroll qualified students. Colleges will be setup in the Student Break Area at each NTC campus. These events will be held September 1st at NTC’s Kansas, OK, Campus 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; September 2nd at the Afton Campus from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; September 3rd at the Pryor Campus from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and again from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and September 3rd at the Claremore Campus from 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For more information contact Diane Hampton, NTC Federal Programs Coordinator, at (918) 257-8324.
Northeast Technology Center Teacher Honored as OKACTE Teacher of the Year
Northeast Technology Center Health Certification Instructor Jennifer Ford was recently honored as the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education’s Health Division Teacher of the Year for the state of Oklahoma. Ford teaches at NTC’s Pryor campus.
She was recognized at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education Summer Conference held in Tulsa on August 2-3. To be considered for the award, Ford was first nominated and then submitted various items for review, such as a detailed educational philosophy, a list of accomplishments, details of the technology used in instructing her classes, community service projects she has participated in, and curriculum used to teach her courses.
A native of Anadarko, OK, Ford is now in her 8th year at NTC. She attended Oklahoma State University with a minor in Biology and micro Biology before being accepted into nursing school and receiving her Bachelors of Nursing from Langston University.
Before coming to NTC, she taught for two years in Inola, worked at Claremore Regional Hospital, worked for Associated Home Health in Tulsa, and also spent time working for a nursing home in Tulsa. “My favorite part of teaching at NTC is the students,” she said. “Seeing them learn, graduate, and then go on to use what you taught them. That’s very rewarding.”
Ford says the key to success is teamwork, and that the entire Health Careers staff around the district works very well together – sharing ideas, giving feedback on what works well in the classroom and what isn’t working well, and providing support for one another through curriculum development and sharing ideas. ”The hardest part of doing this is seeing the students who want to get into the program but can’t because it’s full,” she said.
Ford said the program completed about 30 students this past year, and they are full with a waiting list for this fall. For more information on Health Careers courses or career training in other fields, please contact Northeast Technology Center Pryor at (918) 825-5555.
Photo: NTC Pryor instructor Jennifer Ford was recently honored as the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education’s Health Division State Teacher of the Year. She received the award in Tulsa at the statewide CareerTech summer conference on August 2nd.
NTC Kansas Nursing Students Complete Practical Nursing Program
Northeast Technology Center in Kansas recently honored its class of graduates from the school’s Practical Nursing Program with a nurse pinning ceremony.
The following students completed the program and were recognized by their pinning as a Practical Nurse: Bridget Nichols - Colcord, OK; Greg Sanders - Siloam Springs, AR; Maria Keesler - Siloam Springs, AR; Kenilee Langley - Westville, OK; Angela Guinn - Kansas,OK; and Melissa Noblin - Jay, OK.
NTC Practical Nursing instructors Nita Beck, Stacee Gillespie, and Janet Trimble presented the recognition to their students. Stella Dotson, NTC District Coordinator of Health Occupations Programs, also participated in the ceremony.
Photo: Northeast Technology Center in Kansas, OK, recently held a ceremony recognizing its class of graduates for the school’s Practical Nursing Program. Pictured, left to right: Nita Beck - NTC Instructor; Stacee Gillespie - NTC Instructor; Bridget Nichols - Colcord, OK; Greg Sanders - Siloam Springs, AR; Maria Keesler - Siloam Springs, AR; Kenilee Langley - Westville, OK; Janet Trimble - NTC Instructor; and Stella Dotson – NTC District Coordinator of Health Occupations Programs. Not pictured: Angela Guinn - Kansas,OK, and Melissa Noblin - Jay, OK.os – Owasso.
NTC Nursing Students Complete Practical Nursing Program
Northeast Technology Center in Claremore recently honored its class of graduates from the school’s Practical Nursing Program.
The students are the first class to complete the program since the campus opened last year.
The following students completed the program and were recognized by their pinning as a Practical Nurse: Amy Roberts – Claremore; Windy Williams – Inola; Rhiannon Speers - Morril, Kansas; Tara Haddock – Claremore; Deanne Pappe – Adair; Kristin Taylor – Owasso; Leonda Barnett - Kansas, OK; Sarah Blaylock – Salina; and Jake Cisneros – Owasso.
NTC instructors Karen Flatt and Jodi Bell presented the recognition to their students. Stella Dotson, NTC District Coordinator of Health Occupations Programs, also participated in the ceremony. The graduates were treated to a reception with themed cakes after the ceremony to congratulate them for their hard work and accomplishment.
Photo: Northeast Technology Center in Claremore recently held a ceremony recognizing its first class of graduates for the school’s Practical Nursing Program. These students completed the program in 12 months, and are the first group to complete at NTC’s newest campus in Claremore. Pictured, Back Row, left to right: Karen Flatt, Instructor – NTC; Amy Roberts – Claremore; Windy Williams – Inola; Rhiannon Speers - Morril, Kansas; Tara Haddock – Claremore; and Jodi Bell, Instructor – NTC. Front Row, left to right: Deanne Pappe – Adair; Kristin Taylor – Owasso; Leonda Barnett - Kansas, OK; Sarah Blaylock – Salina; and Jake Cisneros – Owasso.
