Dylan Laumbach subscribes to a fairly simple rule – “Life is what you make it.”
Historians generally attribute the origin of this life lesson to Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest-serving First Lady in U.S. history. She advocated for expanded roles for women in the workplace and for civil rights.
Like Roosevelt, people who know Laumbach will tell you she is tough as nails. By day, Laumbach was enrolled in Precision Machining at Canadian Valley Technology Center. She excelled, despite being the only female in the program. She also enrolled in an evening Welding class at the school and served on the SkillsUSA Oklahoma state officer team.
The recent Chickasha High School graduate recently added another accomplishment to a growing list. Laumbach was chosen as the high school recipient of the 2020 CV Tech Foundation Outstanding Scholar award. She is one of two $1,000 recipients at CV Tech’s Chickasha Campus. The other is adult graduate Rachel Butler-Cornelius, of Blanchard, who recently completed Surgical Technology.
The Foundation was incorporated in 1984 to foster and promote technology education and help students realize their dreams. Helen Ward of Chickasha provided seed money to kick-start the Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) organization under U.S. tax codes. Last year, the Foundation provided more than $50,000 in hardship assistance, tuition assistance, scholarships, grants, awards and supports state and national contest participation for Canadian Valley students.
While at CV Tech, Laumbach also was a two-year inductee in the National Technical Honor Society.
“I tried to be very involved at CV Tech, because it is the place that has made the most impact in my life and provided me with an even more straightforward career path,” she said. “Through CV Tech I have achieved many goals and learned that my work ethic and determination will bring about incredible opportunities and rewards.”
Laumbach plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Oklahoma State University. She has applied for internships in machine shops for the summer, hoping to use her machining knowledge to learn more about the industry first-hand and to help shape her career path. About a third of CV Tech’s graduates pursue a college degree.
She then wants to become the head engineer on the floor of a machine shop. Call it a blue-collar effort at a white-collar lifestyle – the same formula prescribed and followed for a couple of centuries within the U.S. workforce.
“Whether that means starting out sweeping floors and working my way up to CNC (computer numerical control) programmer or diving in head-first and learning new things along the way to benefit the machine shop that hires me, my long-term goal is to work in a machine shop and create incredible things,” she said.
Machinists use machine tools and cutting tools to make parts, most often of metal or plastic. They are indispensable in both the aviation and energy industries in Oklahoma.
“I stuck to what I wanted and that was to become a machinist,” she said. “No one was going to tell me that just because I am a girl, I couldn’t do this work as well as the guys could. At the end of the day you all have the same qualifications for the job.”
2020 CV Tech Award Recipients
$100 Dr. Marvin Denny Memorial Award: Christopher Heck, a Yukon, Graphic Design
$250 Howard Griffin Memorial Award: Robert Duncan, Mustang, Heating & Air Conditioning
$200 Post-Secondary Faith & Love Award in memory of Darlene Koos: Shelbie Stone, Piedmont, Practical Nursing
$100 Secondary Faith & Love Award in memory of Darlene Koos: Abigail Luis, Yukon, Health Careers
$250 Dr. Greg & MeMe Winters Scholarships
Chickasha Campus – Devery Green, Minco, Computer Information Systems
Cowan Campus – Marinne Morgan, Piedmont, Biomedical Sciences
El Reno Campus – Logan Gauchat, Mustang, Computer Programming
$250 Superintendent’s Meritorious Awards
Chickasha Campus – Toby Sarrett, Minco, Automotive Service Technology
Cowan Campus – Arielle Anderson, Yukon, Medical Assisting
El Reno Campus – Anthony Neal, Mustang, Computer Information Systems
$1,000 Foundation Outstanding Scholar Awards
Chickasha Campus/Secondary – Dylan Laumbach, Chickasha, Precision Machining Technology
Chickasha Campus/Post-Secondary – Rachel Butler-Cornelius, Blanchard, Surgical Technology
Cowan Campus/Secondary – Alison Gomez, Yukon, Health Careers
Cowan Campus Post- Secondary – Harley Foster, Mustang, Administrative Medical Office
El Reno Campus/Secondary – Jonathan Johnson, Yukon, Electrical Trades
El Reno Campus/Post-Secondary – Jordan Dorris, Yukon, Cosmetology
DID YOU KNOW?
Tax revenue designated to public schools is earmarked for construction, maintenance, equipment and operation of the school. It often does not provide the funding to assist individual students to meet the costs of their education. That’s where the CV Tech Foundation comes into play. A locally elected board of trustees oversees disbursement of Foundation funds each year. For more information, or to donate to the Foundation, visit the Foundation’s website page at cvtech.edu.
