After a successful pilot year in Mannford and Ripley, Central Tech’s innovative Explorer Program is expanding to five additional partner schools this fall. The program now reaches seven middle schools across the Central Tech district, helping students discover career options early through hands-on learning tied to real-world pathways.
Central Tech Superintendent Kent Burris reflected on the vision behind the program. “This was born from my own children’s very different journeys in finding their paths. It made me realize how many kids and parents are out there trying to figure it out. Our goal is to help students start that process earlier, giving them time to explore, redirect, and get excited about their future. It’s not about pushing them toward tech, it’s about supporting every student in finding their place.”
Returning partner school Mannford saw immediate success during its first year. Superintendent Kelly Spradlin said, “It couldn’t have been a better fit. We replaced a civics elective and used an underutilized gym lobby classroom - perfect for a program that gets messy and creative. Students started coming home saying things like, ‘I loved photography!’ or ‘Health was gross!’ and that kind of thinking is exactly what we want. They’re connecting school to real life.”
Spradlin credited teacher Denice Kennedy for much of the program’s success, adding, “Having the right instructor matters. This exceeded even our high expectations.”
Kory Mitchell, principal at Mannford Middle School shares, “One of the most memorable moments this year was watching our students program robots, making them move, follow lines, and even launching ping pong balls. These are skills I never imagined seeing mastered by 6 th graders. It showed me just how much students are capable of when they’re given hands-on opportunities to explore and create. The Explorer Program has been a huge success at Mannford Middle School, and I truly believe it’s going to be just as transformational for the new schools joining this partnership.”
Based on the success in Mannford and Ripley, Central Tech will now expand the program to Bristow, Cushing, Drumright, Oilton, and Yale this fall.