Outstanding Breaking Tradition Students For 2007
at Indian Capitol Technology Center

By Roberta Scott
Indian Capitol Technology Center

Tracy Rogers Named  ICTC SkillsUSA Outstanding Breaking Traditions Student   The Electronics Technology SkillsUSA Chapter on Indian Capital Technology Center's Muskogee Campus, has named Tracy Rogers, Muskogee, the SkillsUSA Outstanding Breaking Traditions Student for 2007. The Breaking Traditions Awards is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and spotlights students who have chosen specific career and technology programs because of their interests and abilities and who have not let their gender influence their decisions to prepare for nontraditional careers. Rogers is a single mother of four children who entered the FOCUS program located on the local tech center campus. The program offers women the opportunity to learn soft skills and academic skills to help them obtain and focus on career goals.

Through career exploration, she found that the Electronics field offered a variety of jobs that would help her support her children and be a good role model for them.

"I chose electronics because it would give me the opportunity to have a rewarding career and be financially independent," says Rogers. "I was nervous about attending a class that was predominately full of men. After my first class, I realized that it was more important to follow your interests and not choose a career by gender.

This program is the best thing I've ever done for myself. Through the college alliance I have maintained a 3.67 GPA on my transcript at OSU/Okmulgee. I've learned Leadership skills through SkillsUSA."

Rogers feels that both she and her children have benefited from this program. "My children have all improved at school. They see me making the extra effort to do a good job in school and it has rubbed off on them," says Rogers. "I'm secretary of my SkillsUSA chapter and chairman of the Community Service Committee. We delivered Thanksgiving baskets to needy families this year. When we delivered a basket to a young woman with three children, I realized what amazing accomplishments I had made in only one year. It was all about staying on task."

Rogers will graduate this year and looks forward to the future. "My goal is to continue my education to get my Associates Degree. I hope to work as a technician while going to school," says Rogers. "I've learned that nothing is impossible, and that you must choose your career from your interests. No matter who you are, where you are from or what obstacles you might encounter, you must stay on task and follow your dreams."

Honey DeShazo Named ICTC Outstanding IT Breaking Traditions Student Honey DeShazo, Sallisaw, has been named Outstanding Breaking Traditions Student of the Year by members of the Business Professionals of America (BPA), Information Technology Chapter on Indian Capital Technology Center's Sallisaw Campus.  She will now compete for the state honor, which will be announced during the Spring BPA Conference. A few years ago, DeShazo and her husband purchased a broiler farm, and put all their efforts into making the farm a success. Almost two months later they found out he had cancer.

Two years later, Honey DeShazo became a single mom with two children. DeShazo decided that she needed to become self sufficient by learning new skills. Her children were young and in school, so she decided she would also go to school to learn all she could.

She began by enrolling in the Carpentry program at Indian Capital Technology Center, and was active in SkillsUSA.  She has taken Windows XP, First Responder and C.D. L. classes at night. She completed the carpentry program and enrolled in Information Technology for the Cisco Networking Academy.

DeShazo placed 1st at the State SkillsUSA carpentry competitions and represented Oklahoma at the national level. "I started out wanting to become self sufficient by learning new skills." says DeShazo. "I realized I could do just about anything I wanted to do if I set goals and focused on reaching those goals."

DeShazo enrolled in the Information Technology program. She became active in BPA as the secretary of her local chapter. She is currently serving as a BPA State Membership Vice President.

She competed nationally and was the State Representative for the National BPA Convention in Florida and was Oklahoma's head voting delegate. She is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, student representative on the IT Advisory Committee, and has three Work Keys Gold Certificates. She has participated in BPA community service projects.

"I've learned that education is a continuous journey," says DeShazo."My next goal is to enroll in the Environment and Spatial Technology (EAST) program." The program utilizes project-based service learning, integrated with advanced technological applications.

"It's good to have a variety of skills in this ever-changing world of technology. My children are 7 and 10 years of age. The advice I give them is, do your best and don't let fear be your limitation."

DeShazo feels she is ready to face the future with confidence. "I have learned that anyone can do anything with enough determination," says DeShazo. "I feel that when you are a single parent you need to be self reliant.  It doesn't make any difference what your gender is. You must be prepared for the future. It's good to have career choices and options in deciding what you want to do to be financially independent."

Layne Marshall Named  ICTC HOSA Outstanding Breaking Traditions Student For 2007  The Health Science Technology Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Chapter on Indian Capital Technology Center's Muskogee Campus, has named Layne Marshall, Muskogee, the HOSA Outstanding Breaking Traditions Student for 2007. Layne Marshall started learning the art of roping when he was very young. His hobby led him to rodeo roping competitions and he dreamed of a life of roping in open rodeos until his freshman year in high school when students started planning for their careers.

"I really didn't know what I wanted to do," says Marshall. "My sister had attended the tech center and became interested in Radiologic Technology. She graduated from the Rad Tech program and has a very good job. I started thumbing through her text books and thought that might be something I'd like to do."

 When Marshall entered his junior year in high school he enrolled in Health Science Technology. "I felt that the Health Science program would give me the background I needed to be successful in the Radiologic Technology program," Marshall says with a twinkle in his eye. "There aren't many guys in the class, but I really enjoy what I'm doing. You shouldn't make choices by gender. You need to do what you will enjoy. There will always be jobs in the healthcare field."

 As a member of HOSA, Marshall has been involved in community service projects and is the Sentinel for his chapter. "HOSA activities has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in healthcare," says Marshall. "I plan to take the Radiologic Technology classes at the tech center and then get my Bachelor's degree in Radiology at Panhandle State University.

I think it is important that people make career choices on their interests and not gender. I figure I'll be working for the next fifty years of my life, so I might as well enjoy what I'm doing. I can also continue my hobby of rodeo roping. I'll have the best of both worlds. It seems like a win-win situation to me. I like that."