“I’ve seen this child blossom from where we started to where we are now. It gave me hope for students like Raymond that Francis Tuttle invests the time and is invested in their success.”
Raymond Gutierrez has always loved creating.
Sometimes it’s writing and illustrating stories, bringing to life characters and worlds that didn’t exist until he imagined them. Other times it’s gardening as he enjoys tending to plants and appreciates how beautiful they are, especially when well taken care of.
“It’s also like a student,” he said. “Their potential is waiting to bloom. It just needs to be nourished.”
For Gutierrez, the nourishment he needed came at Francis Tuttle Technology Center. Gutierrez, who is autistic, started the Service Careers Hospitality program in August 2023, uncertain about what his future might hold.
Once nonverbal as a child, he’d already overcome incredible challenges before even stepping onto the Rockwell Campus. Encouraged by instructors who saw his strengths and helped him cultivate new ones, Gutierrez continued finding his voice as a Francis Tuttle student. What grew from that support was confidence, purpose, and a clearer path for his future.
Finding His Direction
Gutierrez joined the Hospitality program as a high school junior. After being homeschooled by his mom, Rebecca Ayers, he first attended public school in the 10th grade.
One of Gutierrez’s teachers at Putnam City High School and a staff member from the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services told his parents about the Francis Tuttle program, and his mother and stepfather, Harry Ayers, thought it would be a good fit.
“I can build him up so much, but it takes a village,” Rebecca said.
A key part of Gutierrez’s village is Kari Bailey, a Service Careers instructor on the Rockwell Campus. Gutierrez admits he was unsure about his future when he started in Bailey’s class, but his time in the program was life-changing.
Gutierrez graduated from high school and completed his Francis Tuttle program in May 2025. He was selected as a student speaker for his Francis Tuttle completion ceremony, and as he asked there, “Have you ever had someone believe in you before you believed in yourself?” For him, that person was Bailey.
“She gave me a sense of confidence and direction, and her guidance and instructions have propelled me to actually take risks and succeed in my future,” Gutierrez shared. “She saw the potential that I had and worked really hard day and night to try and get it out of me. She did a really, really good job, and in fact, all the instructors do. They see the potential in kids and try and help them find their path in life. That’s why I am here at Francis Tuttle today.”
Gutierrez also participated in SkillsUSA. One year he placed first in cupcake decorating, and this past year placed in public speaking. Rebecca recalls when her son said he was going to compete in public speaking and told his parents, “Chef Bailey says I can do it, so I can do it.” Gutierrez told his parents that he’d found confidence and purpose and recognized that he is capable.
“He went this year to SkillsUSA and took third place in public speaking, the child that was never supposed to speak,” Rebecca said. “Francis Tuttle’s instructors put that confidence in him that he didn’t have. No matter how much we as parents do, it’s different coming from a third party. Francis Tuttle has the missing pieces that we were missing, and that’s how we’ve seen the program.”
A Full-Circle Moment
This past summer, Gutierrez was hired for his first job. He later found his way back to Francis Tuttle, this time as a food service technician on the Reno Campus after Bailey told him about the opening.
There he applies the skills he learned as a Hospitality student while serving breakfast and lunch to students and staff members. In the program, he learned various aspects of the culinary industry, including safety, knife skills, cleaning procedures, and more.
“The reason why I enjoy my job is because I feel like I’m a part of the team,” Gutierrez said. “I do not mind putting all the hard work in there because at the end of the day, the thing that brings me a smile on my face is to see kids and staff members get a smile on their faces, and that is the best feeling that you could ever have.”
The program also teaches essential life skills like time management, communication, and teamwork, all of which helped Gutierrez build a sense of confidence needed to do his job well. He explained that in his experience, working in a kitchen is easier if you have a good team working together. As a student, Gutierrez gained an appreciation for how everyone can make a difference when combining their different talents.
“My time in Hospitality gave me a lot of character development and pushed me to strive to take more risks in my future,” Gutierrez said. “It opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and it also taught me the importance of looking at different people's perspectives and actually listening to what they have to say. Because of course, you can do your work by yourself, but it's always best if you have a great team with you.”
Nurturing His Passion
When he’s not serving meals, Gutierrez heads upstairs to attend the 2D Animation and Concept Art program, where another dream is taking shape. Led by Instructor Wendy Clark, Gutierrez and his fellow classmates are learning how to utilize a variety of digital tools to bring life to their characters.
For Gutierrez, he’s been working on his series, “The Guys” for about six years. “The Guys” is about everyday life and how with a great mindset and great friends and family, it’s easier to succeed. Each character represents challenges or disabilities people may face, and Gutierrez hopes the stories will help viewers feel seen, supported, and understood.
The program, which Gutierrez began this fall, has allowed him to animate his characters for the first time. His eventual goal is starting his own YouTube channel where he can upload his cartoons for everyone to see.
“I’m not really big on becoming famous or becoming the best director. I just want to make the best show out there,” Gutierrez stated. “I’m excited to kind of finally share these guys with the world, and my only hope is that everyone would like them because I tried to make them as likable as I can.”
Gutierrez looks forward to going to work every day and then following that with his time in the program. Harry said he comes home excited and fulfilled, especially after spending time working on his passion of drawing.
“It’s just an explosion of knowledge and happiness for him,” Harry expressed. “It’s incredible. We feel very blessed that he's been able to have all the experiences with staff and instruction on that.”
A Support System
As parents, Rebecca and Harry have watched their son’s transformation with gratitude and awe.
“He said he felt like he belonged, and that’s a lot for me,” Rebecca shared. “I’ve seen this child blossom from where we started to where we are now. It gave me hope for students like Raymond that Francis Tuttle invests the time and is invested in their success. Francis Tuttle has positively impacted our family and set Raymond up for success. We’re so grateful for that.”
Rebecca recalled how Bailey took that extra step and stayed late after class to help Gutierrez prepare for the SkillsUSA cupcake competition, even though it was not required of her. She also noted how valuable the close friendships he made as a student are.
Harry echoed those thoughts, adding that he and Rebecca have watched as many of Gutierrez’s friends have also grown and found direction for their futures.
“I’m retired now, but if I were an employer, I would love to have a student from Francis Tuttle,” he said. “I would know the type of education, direction, and guidance that they’ve received, and that’s invaluable.”
For Gutierrez, his time at Francis Tuttle has been about more than education — it has also been about growth. He firmly believes that everyone can achieve their dreams. They just need the right support.
“Life is short. We only have so much time in this world, but we leave our mark in the lives we change,” Gutierrez expressed. “I know Francis Tuttle will keep inspiring students every day, one child at a time. At the end of the day, life isn't something that just happens to us. It's something we create. The key is believing and imagination.”