For students attending Gordon Cooper Technology Center, they must balance a lot. They have to balance course work at their high school and their extracurricular activities all while preparing for their potential future career at Gordon Cooper. That balance is something Wellston junior Ataya Oliver had to find. Oliver is a softball player and cheerleader at Wellston. While that balance is key, it’s the memory of her sister that keeps her focused on her future.

“My sister passed away at seven,” she says. “She wanted to be a nurse, so I am fulfilling that dream for her. The Health Careers program is a faster step to becoming an RN.”

That extra motivation and dedication shows up in the classroom.

“Ataya is a hard-working individual,” says her Gordon Cooper Health Careers Certification Instructor Megan Malouf.

“She has shown she is able to excel at curriculum, extracurricular activities, and professionalism in just a few short weeks of school. Ataya has made attending Gordon Cooper a priority along with her homeschool homework and activities by showing up daily even though her high school is 45 minutes away.”

Oliver is a part of the Health Career Certification program at GCTC. That program is designed to enhance students’ employment potential in the health field or serve as a bridge into higher education in the health field. It’s that preparation for the future that drew Oliver to Gordon Cooper.

“I want to go through the LPN program at Gordon Cooper too,” she says. “After that, I want to go to college to get my RN certificate and my BSN. Eventually, I want to become a traveling nurse and specialize in treating patients in the NICU.”

Because of the program and Oliver’s work ethic, Malouf says she is positive that Oliver will be able to achieve her goals.

“She is able to adapt all while having a positive attitude,” Malouf says. “If her performance in my classroom is any indication on how Ataya will perform in the future, she will excel in the health care field.”