“I wanted to learn about all the different things that we’ve done, see the different campuses, get the networking component, and kind of get outside of my box."
Throughout this school year, members of Leadership Francis Tuttle’s Class XXII have developed leadership skills through professional development and team-building opportunities. The program culminated in a graduation ceremony on April 9.
Leadership Francis Tuttle is open to instructional and operational staff from across the district who have been with the technology center for at least 18 months. Each year, participants are selected through an application process.
Over the course of seven sessions, participants get an in-depth look into Francis Tuttle’s programs, industry partners, and community connections.
“This helps people develop and hone their leadership skills, sometimes people who maybe didn’t realize they had leadership skills,” explained Erin Bellamy, Professional Development Coordinator for Francis Tuttle. “It gives people a great opportunity for professional development and growth. It also gives them a strong foundation to go out into the community and be great ambassadors for Francis Tuttle and serves as a springboard for them to go into other programs like Leadership Oklahoma City or Leadership Edmond.”
The members of Class XXII are:
- Bonnie Allen
- Nathaniel Beck
- Ana Beck
- Jason Brunk
- Bradley Chisolm
- Amanda Duncan
- James Edwards
- Gabriela Garza
- Robin Hedges
- Marianne Hosler
- Jan Kreuzberg
- Dustin Moss
- Kathy Phelps
- Lamar Schmidt
- Jeff Wooden
Activities included a team-building bake-off and table decorating contest, tours of industry partners, and participation in the True Colors Temperament and Personality Typing program. Participants also visited the Oklahoma State Capitol, where they heard from representatives and senators, met with Association for Career and Technical Education staff, and learned about the legislative process.
While the program is designed for internal staff, Bellamy said there are ways community partners can get involved, including by hosting a tour or serving as a guest speaker.
Kathy Phelps, a Cosmetology Instructor on the Rockwell Campus, applied for Leadership Francis Tuttle to learn more about how the technology center works with the community and to see the bigger picture.
“I wanted to learn about all the different things that we’ve done, see the different campuses, get the networking component, and kind of get outside of my box,” Phelps shared. “Sometimes you don’t see how every part of Francis Tuttle contributes to where you’re at in the classroom and how it takes everybody to make it happen.”
Phelps added that the colors program was impactful because it reminded her how people with different personalities help a team work more cohesively.
“It takes all of those different people working toward a common goal, but in their own way,” Phelps said. “That’s part of what Leadership Francis Tuttle does is it makes you step outside of yourself and see what everybody else can contribute and why it’s all needed.”