Eight OKC students earn national spotlight at Young Enterprising Women conference

By AI, Created 11:41 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Eight Oklahoma City Public Schools students traveled to a national leadership conference in Virginia after participating in a local STEM and mentoring forum at Oklahoma City Community College. One student also received a full-ride scholarship to OCCC, underscoring the program’s college and career impact.

Why it matters: - The program is giving Oklahoma City girls direct exposure to STEM careers, financial literacy and college pathways. - One on-site scholarship award turned the conference into a concrete next step for a local student. - The event shows how local mentoring programs can lead to national opportunities and real financial support.

What happened: - Eight Oklahoma City Public Schools students attended the Young Enterprising Women National Leadership Conference April 24-26 at the DoubleTree Hilton in Arlington, Virginia. - The students were selected after taking part in the Young Enterprising Women Mentoring Forum Program hosted earlier this year at Oklahoma City Community College. - The local forum brought together hundreds of high school students from across the metro with women CEOs, presidents and community leaders. - One participating student received a full-ride scholarship to Oklahoma City Community College during the conference.

The details: - OCCC Professor of Accounting Janelle Montgomery led the financial literacy portion of the local forum. - Montgomery covered budgeting, saving, credit management and long-term financial planning. - The sessions were designed to give students practical tools for college, careers and leadership opportunities. - Participants also took part in panel discussions, small-group mentoring, financial literacy training and hands-on STEM programming. - Oklahoma City Public Schools STEM coordinator Amy Fullbright said the students were chosen for their interest in STEM careers. - The Oklahoma City mentoring forum is led by Victoria Woods, chair of the local YEW Forum and CEO and chief investment advisor of ChappelWood Financial Services. - The forum partners with Oklahoma City Public Schools and OCCC to identify high-achieving young women in the district. - The Oklahoma City students were Anna Godinez of Capitol Hill High School; Ray’Onna Jenkins of Classen High School of Advanced Studies; Johnnae Vaughn, Makenzie Hardiman and Nictajia Gatlin of Frederick Douglass High School; Ashley Cerda-Leija of Northwest Classen High School; Alexa Sanchez of Southeast High School; and Miah Hill of Star Spencer High School. - Woods shared her own background growing up in poverty and without mentors. - Nictajia Gatlin said hearing leaders describe their rise to success meant a lot to her. - Makenzie Hardiman said the experience reinforced that students should not let others tell them they cannot succeed. - Dr. Vita Pickrum and Dr. Carolyn Eastlin presented the OCCC scholarship on-site in recognition of the student’s academic achievement, leadership potential and future promise. - The conference also featured plenary sessions, public speaking development, advanced STEM education and direct access to entrepreneurial women leaders. - Scholarship support came from Gayle Hodges; Jewel Shine (Granny’s Kitchen); Oklahoma City Community College; Katy Boren of Cox Communications; Lance and Cindy Ruffel Family Foundation; Denver W. Meacham and Patricia F. Edwards; Red Carpet Car Wash and Laura Blakewell; Scott Arthur Klososky and Annette White-Klososky; and Sharina Perry of Utopia Genetics LLC. - The program also thanked OCCC for hosting the local forum and supporting a college-going culture for young women across the metro. - The Young Enterprising Women Mentoring Forum Program is a 501(c)(3) initiative of the Enterprising Women Foundation focused on women’s entrepreneurship and STEM pathways. - Oklahoma City is one of 28 U.S. cities hosting the forum, and 2026 is the program’s second year in the market.

Between the lines: - The scholarship and national conference placement suggest the forum is becoming more than a one-day event; it is functioning as a pipeline from local mentoring to higher education. - The program’s mix of financial literacy, leadership exposure and STEM programming appears aimed at removing both informational and financial barriers for students. - Woods’ comments framed the effort as a chance for students to see people with similar backgrounds succeeding, which may be part of why the program resonates locally.

What’s next: - The Oklahoma City forum will likely continue linking OKCPS students with OCCC and the Enterprising Women Foundation as the program expands in the market. - The national conference model gives future participants a path to scholarships, mentorship and broader exposure to STEM and business careers. - Organizers are signaling continued support for college access and workforce readiness for young women across Oklahoma City.