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Krista McKelvin and Rachel Brown were recognized at the DRS Commission meeting for being the 2023 recipients of the Oklahoma Commission for Rehabilitation Services Award.
McKelvin is a vocation rehabilitation program manager in Lawton and Brown is a vocational rehabilitation program manager in Enid. Both were nominated by multiple colleagues and have gone above and beyond in making sure their units provide the best services possible to clients.
Esther Watkins was recognized for 35 years of service to the State at the DRS Commission meeting.
Watkins began her career as a rehabilitation technician with the Tulsa Vocational Rehabilitation offices in 1996. After earning her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and being certified as a rehabilitation counselor, she was hired as a VR specialist in the school transition program in 2005.
In 2019, Watkins was promoted to the program manager for the Tulsa Transition Unit where she organizes and facilitates BEST/STEM camps for Tulsa and Creek county schools, works vacant caseloads, attends after hour school events and attends trainings/conferences to stay up to date on transition trends.
SULPHUR – Four-person teams and hole sponsors are encouraged to sign up now for the Oklahoma for the Deaf Foundation’s Fifth Annual Benefit Golf Tournament on Monday, April 29.
The tournament will be held at Dornick Hills Golf and Country Club at 519 Country Club Road in Ardmore.
Check in will be at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
“OSD is tremendously grateful to OSD Foundation for their continued support for the students, such as field trips, educational opportunities, learning activities, summer camp program, scholarships for high school seniors and others throughout the school year,” OSD Superintendent Dr. Heather Laine said. “OSD Foundation is making a difference in the lives of our deaf and hard of hearing students.”
The donation for a four-person team is $1,000 and each hole sponsorship is $100.
OSD Business Manager Lynn Hickman will provide breakfast. Lunch will also be provided.
The OSD Foundation would prefer to have finalized teams by April 15.
The Oklahoma School for the Deaf Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization overseen by an independent board of trustees, which funds OSD school programs and projects not funded by state or federal government agencies.
Those who wish to donate may mail checks payable to OSD Foundation to Attn: Marsha Cole, OSD, 1100 Oklahoma Avenue, Sulphur, OK 73086. For more information, visit https://www.osdfoundation.net or phone 580-622-4909.
Here are some of the new people you may meet soon at an upcoming event. Take some time to welcome the following to their new positions and see who's retired.
New hires or new jobs:
EXEC – AWARE Support Technician, Lisa Nessel, began the new job on Feb. 1.
DDS - Administrative Programs Officer, Verteasta Moore, began the new job on Feb. 12.
OSB - Administrative Programs Officer, Tiffany Harris, began the new job on Feb. 5.
OSB - Housekeeping/Custodial Worker, Michael Bynum, began the new job on Feb. 1.
OSD - Construction Maintenance Technician, Marshall Griffith, began the new job on Feb. 1.
VR - Rehabilitation Technician, Kelly Moreno, began the new job on Feb. 5.
VR - Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, Taren Withrow, began the new job on Feb. 1.
SBVI - Vending Facility Business Consultant, Stacey McGhee, began the new job on Feb. 16.
Mustang's Allread received SBVI services to maintain her independence
Taken from the DRS client success story:
Mustang’s Mary Allread turned to DRS after his visual impairments to remain independent.
SBVI staff assisted her with training/education, counseling and guidance, telecommunications and adaptive equipment, information and referral, independent living services and access to Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
“This department has helped me tremendously with tools for the blind,” Allread wrote. “(It) has given me the ability to help myself. (It) DRS is a wonderful organization for those who can no longer see.”
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