Learning, Leading Pursuing Opportunities

“I’d like to operate my own furniture business one day, but I'd like to get started by working for a company doing that work.”

Diana Perez-Lopez is a learner and a leader. A senior at Putnam City West and student in Francis Tuttle’s Carpentry and Cabinetry program, Diana is a member of the National Honor Society, is in U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), serving as color guard commander (presenting colors at a recent OKC Thunder game), serves as vice president of her class in Skills USA, for which she ran for a District officer position last year, among many other accolades, she demonstrates both.

Diana excels in academics, with plans to attend Southern Nazarene University on a full ride scholarship next year, and she loves the hands-on learning in her Carpentry and Cabinetry program at Francis Tuttle. 

Her dad and her uncle have operated a construction/remodeling business for many years, and her mom and dad have a housekeeping business. This entrepreneurial spirit runs in Diana, as well. “I’d like to operate my own furniture making business one day, but I'd like to get started by working for a company doing that work.”

Diana just learned that she will receive Oklahoma CareerTech's Breaking Traditions Award, which honors students engaged in their student organization and participating in a non-traditional program. With all that Diana has going for her, we have little doubt that she will succeed in her endeavors, and we’ll do everything we can to provide her with skills to get there.