As someone who is fully immersed in the future of our kids and invested in making our education system better for all Oklahoma students, I recognize when something is going right.
The Every Kid Counts Oklahoma (EKCO) team recently visited several Lawton-area locations where learning is being thought of in innovative ways. We believe that where there are quality teachers, quality leadership and an environment that allows students to thrive, that every kid in Oklahoma has the possibility to reach their full potential.
One of the most inspiring facilities that we visited was the Life Ready Center (LRC). As a free resource for all three Lawton-area high schools, it’s a place where students can be exposed to subjects beyond the traditional classroom topics, such as robotics, agriculture, film production, engineering and art, all while gaining critical soft skills and college readiness. While it would be difficult to supply teachers for all three high schools in these diverse topics, the LRC provides one centrally-located resource for students to be better prepared heading out into a technology-focused world.
To better prepare students, the LRC offers concurrent courses, advanced-placement courses as well as introductory and advanced elective opportunities with great local partners, including Cameron University and Great Plains Technology Center.
What makes the LRC unique is its full community involvement to make this facility possible. A previous middle school was converted to make way for this STEM-focused center as a way to prepare, attract and retain students. In addition, to further ensure there are no barriers and all Lawton-area high school students have the opportunity to attend, administrators from all three Lawton high schools coordinate their busing routes and schedules to ensure every student has an opportunity to engage at the LRC. This allows students the flexibility to choose what opportunities they would like to explore without the obstacle of transportation. The entire community rallies around the LRC to establish the program and bring greater opportunities and outlets for aspiring students.
We were also very impressed with the military-related facilities, including FISTA and Freedom Elementary. We know Fort Sill is a big part of the Lawton community and identity of the city, and taking care of military families is important. STEM is an essential component of making Oklahoma competitive and creating high-tech jobs while opening the potential for a refined segment of cyber security. FISTA’s focus on STEM teachings creates a full-circle cycle of engineering, education, job placement and providing the security of a long-term career within one community.
Each one of these three components: the middle school, the LRC and Lawton High School, along with the military partnership via FISTA, have revolutionized education regionally.
At EKCO, we applaud Lawton leaders, schools, teachers and organizations for the creative ways they have adapted to meet the needs of kids in the area. We believe the Lawton model can be utilized as a paradigm for innovation across the state that will offer kids the opportunity to explore different subjects and careers, and leverage the knowledge that already exists in a thriving community. EKCO encourages communities throughout the state to utilize the unique resources that are present in their local businesses and organizations, with the goal of partnering with local schools to provide similar cutting edge opportunities to their students.
It’s programs like these, that focus on the student, which I believe are critical to educational success. The more we can support the unique needs of each student, by offering them varied experiences, support beyond the classroom and community-centered attention, the better the outcome. When students win, we all win.
Jill Shero leads Every Kid Counts Oklahoma’s strategic grassroots community outreach.
