Teaching Skills Beyond the Classroom

We see the images of medical workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, but what you do not see is the caring that goes on behind the chaos. Tulsa Tech students in the medical programs learn the skills to do their jobs. However, they are also taught valuable lessons about caring for others.

“I think it is helping us build our character,” Kyra Kirby said. “People who want to be in the medical field always think about others first I think it just helps us become better people.”

Students in Niki White’s Medical Assisting class on the Owasso Campus took that caring to the next level. White put out a call to her students to help make masks for Joy in the Cause, a charity that helps all sorts of members of the community.

“They are a standing in the gap kind of charity,” White said with a smile. “Their impact is very far-reaching here in Northeast Oklahoma."

In all the students put together 50 masks. One of the first students to join in was Mary Cing. She says it all started as a way of helping her family.

“It started as a project with my mom to make masks for our family,” Cing said. “I saw Mrs. White’s message to the class and I said ‘I can do it’.” 

Along with Cing, Cheyanne Driskill also took on a big burden to help the class make the masks. And while these students will miss out on so many Senior year milestones like prom and possibly graduation they know they have made an even bigger impact on the community. 

“I think doing this helped me realize other people have it worse,” Kennedy Patterson said. “When this pandemic started prom was such a big deal, but knowing others are suffering it was an eye-opening experience.”

“It made me realize I should not be upset over small things,” Cheyenne DeSpain said. “I at least get to be at home with my family, so it made me realize how lucky I am.”

 Beyond just helping students meet their career goals Tulsa Tech is helping students learn life lessons, and some of those lessons will translate to whatever career these students go into.

“I feel this project helped us learn to be more caring towards other people,” DeSpain said with a smile. “It made me appreciate nurses more because they are helping save so many lives."

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