The Norman Kiwanis Club recognized one adult and one high school student last week as Students of the Month. Selected students are enrolled at Moore Norman Technology Center and represent full-time career majors in business and information technology.

Moore High School senior Christa Caho is a second-year student in MNTC's entrepreneurship class and will graduate from the program in May. She is a member of the national student organization for marketing education students, DECA and serves as the class chaplain. She is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and has earned multiple Brainbench office management certifications.

Caho is owner and operator of a horse training business called Git-R-Done Groundwork in Norman. She contracts with horse owners looking to enhance and grow their horse's skills and abilities and works with them to accomplish agreed upon goals. She also works at More Blue Skies stables in Norman and is training two-year old horses for shows this year.

"I can't imagine working a typical after-school job -- this is what I love doing. Being in this class prepared me for owning my own business and (instructor) Ms. Holt taught me everything I needed to know to be successful at it," said Caho.

She recently competed in DECA state competition in Tulsa where she placed in the top eight in the Entrepreneurship Participating for an Independent Business category. Last year she placed third and attended the national competition in Anaheim, Calif.

Caho enrolled in the program after a Tech Tour at MNTC's campus while she was sophomore. After two years in the class, she said her outlook on being a student has changed and she is more willing to volunteer and tackles class work in a more involved way.

"At first, being handed nine weeks of work and told that it's our responsibility to get it done was stressful for me, but it turns out that I prefer to work that way," said Caho. "I learned about time management and personal responsibility through it."

She plans on doing a four-year apprenticeship in Stephenville, Texas, with worldwide horse trainer Clinton Anderson. It will move her into a clinician role for horses. She's keeping her options open about college after her apprenticeship.

Adult student Taylor James is enrolled in the legal office services program and will graduate this month. She is a member of the Business Professionals of America student organization and serves as secretary for her class. She also is a member of the Employment Leadership Class and the NTHS. She has 11 Brainbench certifications, multiple Micro-soft Office Specialist certifications and will finish earning the legal office procedures certifications she needs by May. She plans to compete in the state BPA contest this spring in the Legal Office Procedures category.

James attends school utilizing the MNTC CareerTech Scholarship, available to graduates in our district up to age 21, and said the legal office services program was the best way to jumpstart her career quickly.

"I've always been interested in a professional office position and this fit exactly what I was looking for," she said.

She has the opportunity to simultaneously earn 27 hours of college credit while in her MNTC program, toward an associate degree through Oklahoma City Community College. She's considering taking advantage of that program, as well.

"Taylor is just beginning her career, but she already has an outstanding work ethic and understands what it takes to be successful in business, Instructor Lisa Smith said. "Very few students complete a 1,230 hour program in seven-and-a-half months."

For information about MNTC's full-time career majors or part-time classes, visit www.mntechnology. com or call 364-5763, extension 7260.