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Take a single parent with five children to support, add desire to become a nurse, a dash of music talent, put in a bowl, mix well and out would come Pam Ray, Health Science Technology instructor at Southwest Technology Center in Altus. That's why she is being recognized as one of Oklahoma's CareerTech Champions. Career Tech Champions are alumni of the system's programs or student organizations who have found success in a career and attribute much of that success to their career and technology experience.
After graduating from high school, Ray worked at Jackson County Memorial Hospital as a nurse's aide. While working, she continued her education at Western Oklahoma State College graduating in 1985 with an associate's degree in education. She married when she was 29 and for 11 years worked in a variety of health care positions supporting her family. Divorced after six years of marriage, she was faced with finding a job that would support herself and her five children. Ray enrolled in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at SWTC. In 1991 her graduating class was the first to ever have a 100 percent pass rate on the state board exam. In 1996, Ray was selected as the Health Science Technology instructor at SWTC, becoming the first student to graduate from a program at the Altus center and then return as an instructor. Superintendent Dr. June Knight has many good things to say about Ray. "Pam is an excellent role model for her students, an outstanding instructor, a superb HOSA chapter advisor, and is extremely busy in the community," Knight said. "I recently received a letter from a parent in which Pam was praised for the exceptional job she does. The letter stated, 'she's sensitive to the trials and tribulations of teenagers, and from what I can tell, she guides them in a positive direction.' Pam is making a difference in the lives of her students." Ray's love of music enables her to serve her church as choir director and district choir director. She is also the nurse unit president for the Altus District Church of Christ organization whose purpose is to enlighten, share and incorporate health care within the church atmosphere. An outstanding vocalist, Ray was selected to sing "God Bless America" at this year's Oklahoma CareerTech Summer Conference where she performed for about 3,000 members at the general assembly and received a standing ovation. "Pam Ray is an outstanding educator, an outstanding parent, an outstanding instructor and an outstanding graduate of the Oklahoma CareerTech system," Knight said. "If there is a success story in the Oklahoma CareerTech system, then it has to be Pam Ray."
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| posted 1/17/2003 | Story:Don Johnson Southwest Technology Center Public Information Officer Email: djohnson@swtc.org |
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While
in high school, Ray became interested in nursing and became a
member of the Health Occupations Student of America (HOSA) organization.
She served as both the chapter president and was elected as the
state secretary. In 1979, she participated in the state's exemplary
speaking contest and was selected to attend the national competition
in New Jersey, but her mother could not afford to send her. However,
Ray's dream of someday becoming a nurse was not shattered.