CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Vol. 43, No. 35
April 23, 2009
Awards Ceremony to Honor Students
Seeking “Nontraditional” Careers
State winners of the 2009 Missouri Breaking Traditions Awards program will be honored tomorrow (April 24) at a 1 p.m. luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion. Six students will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in career and technical education programs in their pursuit of nontraditional careers.
The Breaking Traditions program is sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Missouri Center for Career Education and career education coordinators. Tom Quinn, DESE assistant commissioner of career education, will present the awards. State winners will be offered scholarships from Missouri community colleges and Linn State Technical College.
Careers are considered nontraditional when one gender comprises less than 25 percent of the individuals employed in that occupation or field. Nontraditional students have chosen specific career and technical programs based on their interests and abilities, despite their minority gender status.
Two secondary students to be recognized are Andrea Reinhart who attends Cass Career Center in Harrisonville and Victor Stewart who attends Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield. Upon graduation from high school, Reinhart plans to attend Coffeyville Community College and major in agribusiness management and agriculture communications with an emphasis in pre-law. Stewart is participating in the school’s “middle college” program and pursuing a career pathway in early childhood development.
Adult students Stacy Taylor and Lacey McClintock will be recognized at the postsecondary level. Both attend Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center. Taylor recently earned his licensed practical nurse certificate and plans to work while continuing his education to earn a bachelor’s degree and become a registered nurse. McClintock is majoring in graphic communications and plans to work as a graphic designer with an advertising firm upon graduation.
Two inspiring students who are overcoming significant obstacles to reach their career goals will receive the Daphna Jones Spirit Award. Richard Crowe at Nevada Regional Technical Center is pursuing a new career in business technology, and Yolanda Skaggs is enrolled in the automotive tech program at Rolla Technical Institute.
In addition, two educators and one employer will be recognized for their notable contributions to the program.
State educator winners are Felicia Rickard, graphic arts instructor, Davis H. Hart Career Center, Mexico, and Richard Unger, civil engineering instructor, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley.
The business representative to be recognized for outstanding support of career education and nontraditional students is Fred Wood, human resources manager at Tyson Foods, Inc., Monett. Tyson Foods has been a strong partner with the Southwest Area Career Center for nearly 10 years.
The awards program began in 1994 to recognize students, educators and schools for their achievements in breaking occupational gender barriers. Students were nominated for the awards by career centers, public two-year colleges and comprehensive high schools. Outstanding educators were nominated by their students.