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McCurtain Daily Gazette
SOSU offers schools help during the testing window
The Southeastern
Oklahoma State University
branch campus provided com-
puters and space for more than
100 high school students to
take ACT tests recently.
The ACT test is a require-
ment for high school juniors
under the state system of man-
dated testing.
Some 77 Idabel students
and around 30 Wright City
students took the ACT tests in
the computer lab and library at
SOSU’s McCurtain County
branch campus, said Kendra
Gross, director at the SOSU-
MCC campus in Idabel.
Richard Crow, the campus
technology director, worked
with the schools and their
counselors to set up the com-
puters and an appropriate
environment (the spaces were
closed off during the testing).
The two high schools pro-
vided their own monitors and
proctors. Gross noted it was
the first year for Wright City
to make use of the campus
facilities for testing, but Idabel
had utilized the SOSU-MCC
facilities before.
The college is also provid-
ing the space (but not the com-
puters) during April for Epic
Charter School to test its stu-
dents at a former nursing
classroom in a currently unoc-
cupied building that adjoins
the main building.
SOSU-MCC is currently
taking enrollments for the
summer and fall, Gross noted,
and has set plans for a recep-
tion for its graduates in early
May. The campus also played
host to a resource fair
Wednesday.
Gross hopes to work with
the Kiamichi Technology
Center, located adjacent to the
SOSU branch, about a possi-
ble articulation agreement
between the criminal justice
programs at KTC and the col-
lege.
High school students in
criminal justice – a new pro-
gram at KTC-Idabel, started
this year with Gabe Morris as
instructor – could get some
credits toward the associate’s
degree in criminal justice,
offered at the SOSU Idabel
branch.
Nursing programs at the
two adjoining campuses have
an agreement that allows nurs-
es who take complete the
licensed practical nursing
class at KTC to enter the reg-
istered nursing associate’s
degree program at EOSC with
credits they earned at KTC.
This reduces the time it takes
to become an RN.
There is a strong demand
for RNs and LPNs in
McCurtain County and any-
where else.
Some nursing graduates go
on and obtain a bachelor’s
degrees in nursing, become
nurse practitioners, physical
therapists, physicians’ assis-
tant or other health-related
positions.
Programs that help students
develop skills that enable
them to enter the work force
with good pay have gained in
popularity as college tuition
costs have increased.
Also, the time required
Society to discuss Snowdon’s visit with Stevenson
(Cont. from page one)
The premise for the visit
was that Snowdon was to pho-
tograph the Wright City rodeo
– and capture the myth of true
Americana on the Fourth of
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
before entering the work force in demand. is a place where they have years without raising salaries
– typically four years, some- Common education, higher worked cooperatively. addressed the teacher pay
times five or six years if work- education and vocational edu- But the revenues for fund- raise issue last year and has a
ing part-time or getting a grad- cation are separately funded, ing education are crucial. Ad pending bill for an additional
uate degree – can be a turn-off each with their own advocates valorem taxes are a key source salary increase. But opera-
for high school graduates who and supporters, but one thing for both public schools and tional funding for colleges and
find it hard to get the money they have in common is open- technology center funding, but public schools has been at
without a loan and who want ing up career opportunities. constitutional limits on prop- standstill or reduced levels
to get into the world of work The three (most often state- erty taxes puts extra pressure since 2008. There have been
quicker. funded) programs have on raising the money through no indications from the con-
The increased demand for worked cooperatively in some unpopular fees and taxes. servative legislature that this
skilled labor has also been states, and McCurtain County The State Legislature after will change anytime soon.
noted by researchers into
vocational education and
apprenticeship programs.
The fields of technology,
health and education offer job
opportunities for applicants
who have the skills and train-
ing they need.
High school juniors and
seniors who complete the pre-
engineering program (started
as a pilot program at Idabel
several years ago) report they
have upped their ACT scores
and many have entered engi-
neering or technical programs
after high school.
Bachelor’s degrees in edu-
cation, business and psycholo-
gy have been among the fre-
quent major programs at
SOSU-MCC.
One program that offers
incentives for Native
Americans to become teachers Darren Rios is honored as one of two students of the month from Idabel
is available at the Durant main High School for April by the Idabel Kiwanis Club. Dios is an excellent
campus of SOSU. scholar and athlete and is the 2019 State Power Lifting Champion for
Nationwide, programs have Division Three. His parents Andrew and Melissa Rios were on hand as
been proposed for decades to Kiwanian past president Chuck Miller presented Dios with a certificate
have a better match between and check.
job training and the jobs most
An article that appeared in horses in the pasture, there in 1959. When the Stevenson home, Jordan will
the McCurtain Gazette after- Stevenson was painting the opportunity to purchase the illuminate the Stevenson con-
wards and was picked up by cowboys and cowgirls. Barnes home was presented to nection to noted architects
UPI said the paper “was given The Museum of the Red Stevenson, he eagerly pur- Bruce Goff, Frank Lloyd
the royal slip last week when River has announced a 2020 chased it, recalling his fond Wright, and Philip Johnson.
Anthony Armstrong Jones exhibition featuring memories of the architect’s Jordan has previously pre-