♪ TONIGHT WE HONOR 100 GIFTED HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND 5 OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

WE CELEBRATE THE EXCELLENCE AND THE SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.

THEY ARE THE PRIDE OF OUR PRESENT AND THE HOPE OF OUR FUTURE.

NOW FROM THE EMBASSY SUITES CONFERENCE CENTER IN NORMAN, WE PRESENT THE 32ND ANNUAL OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE ACADEMIC AWARDS BANQUET.

AND NOW PLEASE WELCOME OUR GUEST MASTER OF CEREMONIES, DICK PRYOR, GENERAL MANAGER OF KGOU RADIO.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WELCOME.

GOOD EVENING.

I AM HONORED TO BE PART OF THIS GREAT CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE IN OKLAHOMA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THIS BANQUET IS UNLIKE ANY EVENT IN OUR STATE, BECAUSE IT SALUTES REMARKABLE LEADERS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, WHO HAVE GONE THE EXTRA MILE THROUGH THEIR SERVICE TO OTHERS, THEIR CREATIVITY IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THEIR PASSION FOR LEARNING.

THEIR EXAMPLE ENCOURAGES EACH OF US TO ASPIRE TO EXCELLENCE IN OUR OWN LIVES.

IN 1985, DAVID L. BOREN ESTABLISHED THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE TO RECOGNIZE AND ENCOURAGE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS.

OVER THE LAST 32 YEARS, HE HAS ONLY MISSED A COUPLE OF THESE ACADEMIC AWARDS BANQUETS.

HE COULD NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT, SO IT'S A REAL HONOR FOR ME TO STAND IN FOR HIM AS EMCEE THIS EVENING.

THE THEME IS "EMPOWERING BY LEARNING" -- RECOGNIZING THE POWER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO DEVELOP EDUCATED, ENGAGED CITIZENS, BUILDING A MORE VIBRANT ECONOMY, AND BUILDING A BETTER LIFE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

THE ACADEMIC AWARDS PROGRAM IS ONE OF JUST SEVERAL FOUNDED BY THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE.

WE WANT TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF THE FOUNDATION.

>> WE BELIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS SHOULD BE VALUED AND CELEBRATED.

>> WE BELIEVE TEACHERS DESERVE RESPECT AND SUPPORT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> WE BELIEVE WHEN COMMUNITIES INVEST IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EVERYONE WINS.

>> DAVID BOREN AND DATE LEADERS FOUNDED THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN 1986 WITH A MISSION OF RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE ARE RAISING THE BAR FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

OUR ACADEMIC-AWARDS PROGRAM HAS BESTOWED MORE THAN $4 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND EXCELLENCE AWARDS.

WE SALUTE LEADING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.

OUR FOUNDATION IS TRAINING AND INSPIRING TEACHERS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS TO ATTEND NATIONAL CONFERENCES IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS.

WE ALSO PARTNER FOR SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

WE WORK TOGETHER WITH COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG TO BRING AMERICAN HISTORY TO LIFE AND PREPARE TOMORROW'S CITIZENS.

WE CO-SPONSOR COLONIAL DAY AT THE CAPITAL FOR 5TH GRADERS.

WE WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUSINESSES, AND MORE THAN 150 MENTORING PROGRAMS TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE.

THROUGH OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM TO LOCAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WE HAVE HELPED BUILD ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST NETWORKS OF GRASSROOTS SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

OUR PROGRAM PROVIDES TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO OKLAHOMA SCHOOL FOUNDATION, WHICH, IN TURN, HAS GIVEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ENRICH THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

>> WE BELIEVE THE GREATEST INVESTMENT WE CAN MAKE -- >> IS TO SUPPORT QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION.

>> THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE, RECOGNIZING AND ENCOURAGING EXCELLENCE IN OKLAHOMA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU TO RED ROCK VIDEO SERVICES AND THE FOUNDATION STAFF FOR PRODUCING THIS VIDEO ABOUT THE IMPORTANT WORK OF OUR FOUNDATION AND THE IDEALS THAT WE VALUE.

AND NOW WE COME TO THE ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED THROUGH OKLAHOMA'S MOST RIGOROUS ACADEMIC COMPETITION ON THE BASIS OF SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

EACH HAS SELECTED A SPECIAL TEACHER.

WE RECOGNIZE THESE STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEIR TEACHER GUESTS.

PRESENTING OUR STUDENTS WITH ACADEMIC ALL-STATE MEDALLIONS WILL BE PAMELA OLSON, AUTHOR OF "FAST TIMES IN PALESTINE" AND NOLAN BE FINCH, A SENIOR AN ALYTICS WORKER IN CHICAGO.

WELCOME THE BEST OF THE BEST, THE ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS FOR 2018!

♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS CONNOR, AND MY TEACHER GUEST IS MISS REBECCA FISHER, MY GEGEEO HOWARD I'M FROM PURCELL HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEACHER.

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID BLACK FROM EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY ECONOMICS TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST IS MY ANATOMY TEACHER, MISS JULIE FOSTER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY COMPUTER AND MATH TEACHER.

>> HI, I'M FROM THE OKLAHOMA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATH.

TONIGHT I'VE INVITED MY CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR.

>> MY NAME IS GARRETT JOHNSON.

MY GUEST TONIGHT IS [ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> HELLO, I'M FROM UNION HIGH SCHOOL, AND JOINING WITH ME IS MISS MARIE, MY ENGINEERING TEACHER.

>> I'M GABE.

MY TEACHER GUEST IS MY ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, JANET LITTLE.

>> MY GUEST IS MY PHYSICS TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS JOSHUA ANDERSON, I GO TO UNION HIGH SCHOOL.

MY TEACHER GUEST IS TEDDY WYATT, MY ENGINEERING TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST IS MR.

MICHAEL HART, MY BAND DIRECTOR.

>> I'M SIMON, AND MY TEACHER TONIGHT IS MY PHYSICS TEACHER, MISS TRACY RICHARDSON.

>> I'M FROM SOUTHMORE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TEACHER TONIGHT IS MRS.

HAYES, MY ENGLISH TEACHER.

>> I'M ALI, AND I BROUGHT MY SECOND-GRADE TEACHER, MISS BROWN.

>> MY NAME IS RYAN, I'M FROM ALTUS HIGH SCHOOL.

MY GUEST IS CINDY BAILEY.

>> I'M HENNA HILL FROM SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL, AND I BROUGHT MY BIOLOGY TEACHER, CASEY REID.

>> I'M FROM SULFUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND I BROUGHT MY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] TEACHER.

>> I'M ELIZABETH FROM PRYOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND I BROUGHT WITH ME MY HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR.

>> HELLO, I'M HANNAH BOWLIN FROM BIXBY HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TEACHER GUEST IS MY U.S.

HISTORY TEACHER, MR.

RANDALL BRIGGS.

>> MY NAME IS BRET GILLESPIE, I'M FROM OKLAHOMA UNION HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY ENGLISH TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS LANY McKENNY FROM JENKS TEACHER, AND MY GUEST IS ALEXANDER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY COUNSELOR, MISS KELLY.

>> MY NAME IS RYAN, FROM JENKS HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

U.S.

HISTORY TEACHER.

>> I'M FROM NEWCASTLE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY WRESTLING COACH, MR.

ZACHARY.

>> MY NAME IS WILL, I'M FROM STEWART HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY WRITING TEACHER, MRS.

REGINA MABRY.

>> I AM FROM PONCA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

CALC TEACHER.

>> I'M EMILY FROM ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, MISS SANDY.

>> I'M ZACH, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY PROFESSOR DR.

CATHERINE CLASSIC.

>> MY GUEST IS [ INDISCERNIBLE ].

>> MY NAME IS ALISON KNOWLES, FROM HARNETT HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TEACHER IS SHAYLA.

>> MY NAME IS KYLIE, AND I'M FROM ADA HIGH SCHOOL.

MY GUEST IS MY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION ADVISER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MRS.

DIANA BUTLER, MY ENGLISH TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MR.

TOM BRENNAN, MY U.S.

HISTORY TEACHER.

>> I'M DOMINIC FROM OWASSO HIGH SCHOOL.

MY EUROPEAN HISTORY TEACHER IS MY GUEST.

>> I'M ALISON FROM BARTLESVILLE, HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TEACHER GUEST IS MY A.P.

CALCULUS TEACHER, MRS.

JULIE ANDERSON.

>> I'M TYLER.

MY GUEST IS MY MUSICAL THEATER TEACHER.

>> I'M FROM EDMOND MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY AMAZING ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR.

>> I'M BRENDON DRAPER, AND MY GUEST IS MY CHEMISTRY TEACHER.

>> I AM MAYA ROGERS FROM BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

PHYSICS TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS CHASE WILSON FROM BETHEL HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY CAL CLUS TEACHER IS MY GUEST.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY MATH TEACHER.

>> I'M JAY FROM FAIRVIEW HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS CASSIE, FROM DURANT HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M RYAN, AND JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS MY MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER, MR.

CHRIS PRICE.

>> HI, MY GUEST IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER TRACY FULLER.

>> MY NAME IS ELI BROCK FROM BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> I'M HANNAH KOOK, AND MY GUEST IS CATHY WEINER, MY A.P.

ENGLISH TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY ART TEACHER SHANNON THOMPSON.

>> I'M FROM WESTMORE, AND MY GUEST IS MICHELLE ELLIS.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY MATH TEACHER.

>> I'M LAUREN FROM WESTMORE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY CALCULUS TEACHER KIRK WILLIS.

>> I'M FROM NORMAN HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER, MISS SARAH DOOLITTLE.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY ACADEMIC TEAM COACH AND A.P.

CALCULUS TEACHER, MISS MELINDA WALLACE.

>> I'M FROM NORMAN NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.

MY GUEST IS NOT PRESENT.

IT'S MY SECOND-GRADE TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS MASON COOKE.

MY A.P.

ENGLISH TEACHER IS MY GUEST TONIGHT.

>> I'M FROM EDMOND NORTH HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> MY GUEST IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER, JENNIFER HEDGES.

>> I'M COLBY, AND MY GUEST IS MY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL COACH.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER, MISS LISA KIM.

>> I'M FROM PIMA HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MARCY ELDRIDGE.

>> MY NAME IS COLLIN MARTINEZ, I'M FROM BIXBY HIGH SCHOOL.

I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY PHYSICS TEACHER.

>> I'M ALEX FROM MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY HISTORY TEACHER, MR.

RICHARD PATTERSON.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY GEOGRAPHY TEACHER.

>> I'M DAISY FROM THE SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDIES, AND MY GUEST IS MY I.B.

PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER.

>> HELLO, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY HISTORY TEACHER AND GUEST TONIGHT, MR.

BILLY.

>> MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE BAILEY FROM THE SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDIES, AND MY GUEST IS MINDY.

>> MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

GOVERNMENT TEACHER MISS WANDA WOODS.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR CYNTHIA BEHAR.

>> I'M CHRIS ALBERT, NORMAN HIGH SCHOOL.

MY GUEST IS MY FOOTBALL COACH MR.

DAVID ASKU.

>> MY GUEST IS MY CALCULUS TEACHER.

>> MY NAME IS EVAN, AND I'M FROM NORMAN NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.

I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY A.P.

PHYSICS TEACHER, MR.

KEVIN.

>> I'M NATALIE, AND MY GUEST IS MY CHEMISTRY TEACHER, MISS JOY HATFIELD.

>> I'M SETH FROM WOODWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

GOVERNMENT TEACHER CHELSEA CRUZ.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY 5TH GRATE -- GRADE TEACHER, JEAN WILSON.

>> MY GUEST IS DR.

ELLEN BARTON.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER, MR.

PAUL SANDERS.

>> I'M FROM PAUL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

STATISTICS TEACHER, MR.

KENNETH BRANTLEY.

>> MY GUEST IS MY A.P.

TEACHER, MISS TRISHA MASTERS.

>> I'M JOEY RAY FROM COWETA HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TEACHER GUEST TONIGHT IS MR.

GORDON SCHULTZ, WHO TEACHES PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY.

>> I'M CORY FROM ADA HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

ENGLISH LITERATOR TEACHER, DEEANA COMPTON.

>> I'M FROM UNION HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST IS MY HISTORY TEACHER, MISS KELLY.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY SCIENCE AND ENGLISH TEACHER, MISS CORY COAKLEY.

>> I'M FROM BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

BIOLOGY AND GERMAN TEACHER, MISS ARCADIA.

>> I'M FROM OWASSO HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY CALCULUS TEACHER IS MY GUEST.

>> MY GUEST IS MISS STEPHANIE CRAWFORD.

>> MY GUEST TONIGHT IS MY A.P.

ENGLISH TEACHER, MISS ANGIE MORRIS.

>> APPLAUSE ONE MORE TIME, THE 2018 CLASS OF ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS!

>> [ APPLAUSE ] OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 100 ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS, THE BEST OF THE BEST.

WE NOW TURN TO THE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE AWARDS.

EACH RECIPIENT WILL RECEIVE A PRIZE IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000.

IN ADDITION, EACH HONOREE WILL RECEIVE AN ETCHED-GLASS "ROOTS AND WINGS" SCULPTURE LIKE THOSE YOU SEE IN THE FRONT OF THE STAGE.

THE DEVELOPER RON ROTH SAYS WE SHOULD GIVE OUR CHILDREN TWO THINGS, ROOTS AND WINGS.

PRESENTING OUR MEDALS FOR EXCELLENCE ARE ALUMNI WHO ARE LEADERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, RESEARCH, LAW, ACADEMIA AND MEDICINE.

PLEASE WELCOME NORMAN ATTORNEY AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE EMILY >> [ APPLAUSE ] >> THE GREAT AUTHOR MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SAID "I'VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL."

THE STUDENTS IN BRANDY CALDWELL'S CLASS IN NORMAN WILL ALWAYS WEB MISS CALDWELL AS A TEACHER WHO MAKES THEM FEEL VALUED, CONFIDENT, AND EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING.

AS A DISTRICT TRAINER AND LEADER, MISS CALDWELL PROMOTES LEARNING THROUGH STUDENT-DRIVEN INVESTIGATION, TAPPING INTO STUDENTS' INNATE CURIOSITY, AND JOY FOR LEARNING IN TOPICS THAT INTEREST THEM MOST.

HER FIFTH GRADERS DIVE DEEP INTO TOPICS BY ASKING THEIR OWN QUESTIONS, LEARNING, AND SHARING THEIR DISCOVERIES THROUGH DRAMA AND VIDEO PRODUCTION.

MRS.

CALDWELL GOES THE EXTRA MILE TO DEVELOP DEEP, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS' NEEDS AND HELP THEM REACH THEIR POTENTIAL.

BRANDY CALDWELL CREATES A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING.

>> THE MAGIC INGREDIENT YOU CAN SPRINKLE AROUND YOUR ROOM IS THAT RELATIONSHIP COMPONENT.

WHEN MY STUDENTS HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH ME, THEN THEY FEEL SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE SHARING, LIKE, WHO THEY ARE INSIDE.

>> ONCE I SHOWED HER MY FIRST POEM, AND I'M A BIG WRITER, AND SHE REALLY MADE ME, LIKE, ENCOURAGED TO DO MORE, BUT SHE MAKES IT EASY FOR US.

SHE MAKES IT FUN.

SHE MAKES, LIKE, THE CREATIVE PART REALLY TAKE PLACE.

>> I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN ENRICHED ASSESSMENT, NOT NECESSARILY TAKING A TEST.

SOMETIMES WITH TECHNOLOGY.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON GREEN SCREEN.

THAT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE, BECAUSE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH IS ALWAYS EXCITE.

>> SHE ALWAYS'S EXCITED AND PUMPED UP.

>> EACH CHILD FEELS SPECIAL.

AND SHE CAN PINPOINT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM AND REALLY HELP WHATEVER NEEDS THEY HAVE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE REALLY NATURAL AND EASY FOR HER TO DO THAT.

>> SHE TALKS TO KIDS UTTERLY LIKE PEOPLE, LITTLE GROWN-UPS.

SHE DOESN'T PULL ANY PUNCHES WITH THEM, SHE DOESN'T REALLY SUGAR-COAT ANYTHING.

SHE JUST SEEMS LIKE A PERSON YOU INSTANTLY LIKE AND LIKE TO BE HER FRIEND.

>> SHE HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO SHOW CHILDREN THAT THEIR EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

AND WHEN SHE -- WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING FIFTH GRADE, THEY'RE PREPARED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BEYOND.

AND I WANT MY KIDS TO LOOK BACK AND KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE BUILT TOGETHER, AND THAT I'M STILL BUILDING IT, AND THEY'RE STILL A PART OF IT.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RECIPIENT OF THE OKLAHOMA MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN ELEMENTARY TEACHING, FROM LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NORMAN, BRANDI CALDWELL!

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCH AN EXCITING AND GENEROUS RECOGNITION.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY.

WITHOUT YOU, I WOULD NOT BE HERE.

THIS MOMENT IS SO SPECIAL TO ME, BECAUSE I'M A PROUD PRODUCT OF OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN PIVOTAL TO ME IN MY ABILITY TO LIVE OUT MY PASSION.

AS A STUDENT IN A TITLE 1 SCHOOL, THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO GRADUATE COLLEGE, AND NOW TEACHING, I'VE COME FULL CIRCLE.

MY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE.

MY MOM -- OVER THERE, LOVES TO TELL ME THE STORY OF ME AS A OF-YEAR-OLD FORCING MY COUSINS TO BE MY STUDENTS.

IN THOSE DAYS, I WOULD COMPLAIN, “THEY ARE DOING IT WRONG!” I LIKE TO THINK I HAVE EVOLVED.

NOW, I AM INSPIRED TO TEACH BY EACH AND EVERY STUDENT I HAVE EVER HAD, EVEN THOSE UNFORTUNATE COUSINS, AND THOSE YET TO COME.

ALL STUDENTS ARRIVE AT SCHOOL WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, INTERESTS, AND EXPERIENCES.

MY AIM IS TO HELP STUDENTS FIND THEIR PASSION AND BE READY TO GO INTO THE WORLD AS LIFELONG LEARNERS.

IT IS NO SECRET THAT TEACHING IS HARD WORK.

AS A NEW TEACHER, I REALIZED THAT THIS AMAZING, FULFILLING, AND WORLD-CHANGING CALLING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

I HAVE MADE MANY MISTAKES AND HAVE BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF SO MUCH HELP, SUPPORT, AND LOVE FROM MY FELLOW TEACHERS.

TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SUPPORTERS IN THE AUDIENCE: STAY STRONG AND KEEP PUSHING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STATE.

TO THE STUDENTS LISTENING: STAY CURIOUS.

AND TO THE TEACHERS OUT THERE, MY TEACHER FRIENDS: STAY DAUNTLESS IN THE FACE OF YOUR CHALLENGES AND KEEP THE STUDENTS AT THE HEART OF WHAT YOU DO.

IT'S SO WORTH IT.

THANK YOU.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BRANDI CALDWELL.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> OUR NEXT PRESENTER THIS EVENING IS A 1997 ACADEMIC ALL-STATE ALUMNA WHO IS CONDUCTING IMPORTANT RESEARCH INTO THE GENETIC MARKERS FOR DISEASE.

PLEASE WELCOME, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO MEDICAL CENTER IN DENVER, BIOSTATISTICS RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, DR.

DIANA ABBOTT.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> IN JANET JOHNSON'S CLASSROOM AT CLYDE BOYD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SAND SPRINGS, SCIENCE ISN'T SOMETHING YOU MERELY READ ABOUT IN A TEXTBOOK.

MS.

JOHNSON GIVES HER STUDENTS THE TOOLS, THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE CONFIDENCE TO BE YOUNG SCIENTISTS WHO CAN SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS.

IN MS.

JOHNSON'S CLASS, STUDENTS ANALYZE DNA, BLOOD SAMPLES AND FINGERPRINTS TO SOLVE A CRIME.

THEY PERFORM WATER QUALITY TESTS TO ASSESS THE HEALTH OF THEIR LOCAL RIVER.

THEY DESIGN THERAPEUTIC LEARNING TOYS TO HELP CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.

WITH 3-D PRINTING, THEY EVEN CREATED A PROSTHETIC HAND TO HELP A FELLOW STUDENT BETTER NAVIGATE THE WORLD.

OUTSIDE OF HER CLASSROOM, JANET SHARES HER LOVE OF SCIENCE AS THE SPONSOR OF THE AFTER-SCHOOL STEM CLUB AND ORGANIZES AN ANNUAL TRIP TO THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY.

JANET BELIEVES THAT STUDENTS LEARN BEST WHEN LEARNING IS AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL.

MANY OF HER STUDENTS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO PURSUE MAJORS AND CAREERS IN SCIENCE.

THROUGH JANET JOHNSON'S POWERFUL EXAMPLE, HER STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THAT SCIENCE CAN HELP IMPROVE HUMAN LIVES.

>> MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE IS THE FIRST TIME THEY REALLY GET TO HAVE A CLASS THAT IS JUST FOR SCIENCE.

>> WE'RE GOING TO ADJUST FOR FINGERPRINTS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON A FINGERPRINT CARD.

>> VERY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, I'LL BE IN IT WHEN THEY MEET ME, THE VERY FIRST DAY, THEN I GIVE THEM DIFFERENT PROBLEMS TO SOLVE.

>> ONE OF THEM IS A CRIME SCENE, AND IT TEACHES YOU HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BASED ON THE CLUES YOU WERE GIVEN.

>> THESE KIDS ARE SEEING HOW SCIENCE APPLIES TO PEOPLE AND APPLIES TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.

>> EVERY YEAR I TAKE STUDENTS ON A SCIENCE-IMMERSION TRIP TO FLORIDA.

WE DO FIVE DAYS WHERE IT'S SCIENCE FROM THE TIME THEY GET UP TO THE TIME THEY GO TO BED.

>> IT'S CHANGED A LOT OF LIVES, STUDENTS THINKING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL STUDENTS WHO NOW THINK THEY WANT TO BE A MARINE BIOLOGIST BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT EXPOSING THE KIDS TO OTHER VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

>> I SHARED WITH THEM MY LIFE STORY.

I GREW UP MISSING A HAND.

>> HE TOLD US WHAT HE WANTED TO IMPROVE.

WE ALL DESIGNED ONE TO IMPROVE OPENING A DOOR OR EATING A TACO.

>> HE PUT THE HAND ON, AND IT WAS -- IT WAS MAGICAL.

HE WAS SO EXCITED TO GET THAT HAND!

AND THEN HE TURNED TO A COUPLE OF HIS FRIENDS WHO WERE SITTING THERE -- I'M GOING TO CRY -- AND HE SAID, "LOOK, GUYS, NOW I'M JUST LIKE YOU!"

AND IT WAS -- IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BIG OF AN IMPACT THAT THAT WOULD HAVE ON THAT -- ON THAT HIGH SCHOOL BOY.

>> IT WAS REALLY COOL, ESPECIALLY, THAT THE 7TH GRADERS WERE DOING IT, BECAUSE THAT'S REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE DOING THINGS FOR PEOPLE, AND I FEEL LIKE IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US IN A VERY -- A VERY REWARDING THING.

>> I ALWAYS TELL THEM THEY CAN DO MORE THAN THEY THINK THEY CAN.

WHEN THEY ARE BUILDING THE HAND OR WHATEVER, THEY START TO BELIEVE IT.

THAT'S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RECIPIENT OF EXCELLENCE IN SECONDARY TEACHING, FROM CLYDE BOYD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SAND SPRINGS, WELCOME JANET JOHNSON.

>> ♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

MY CLASSROOM IS FULL OF HOPE.

I HAVE GREAT HOPE FOR MY STUDENTS' FUTURES.

I HOPE THEY KNOW THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

I HOPE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SCIENCE IS A WAY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, NOT JUST A SUBJECT TO LEARN IN SCHOOL.

I HOPE THEY REMEMBER HOW MUCH I CARE FOR THEM, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY COME FROM.

I HOPE THEY TRUST THEMSELVES TO TAKE THE MORE CHALLENGING ROAD.

I HOPE THAT THERE IS A SMALL PIECE OF ME INSIDE OF THEM THAT ENCOURAGES THEM TO DO MORE THAN THEY THINK THEY CAN.

ALTHOUGH I AM BEING RECOGNIZED TONIGHT FOR EXCELLENCE IN MY FIELD, I AM NO DIFFERENT FROM TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE STATE.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A GENERAL ASSUMPTION THAT GREAT TEACHERS ARE RARE.

I DISAGREE.

GREAT TEACHERS ARE THE MAJORITY IN OKLAHOMA, NOT THE MINORITY.

I AM NOT AN EXCEPTION -- >> [ APPLAUSE ] I AM NOT AN EXCEPTION TO EVERYDAY TEACHING; I AM MERELY AN EXAMPLE OF IT.

THANK YOU TO THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE FOR THIS DISTINGUISHED HONOR.

I WANT TO THANK MY HUSBAND JODY FOR SUPPORTING MY TEACHING HABIT, MY DAUGHTERS, KAYLEE, KORTNI, AND KELLIE FOR UNDERSTANDING THE STRESS AND RIGOR OF THE WORK, AND MY PARENTS BONITA AND GARY WHO PICK UP THE SLACK WHEN I AM BUSY TEACHING.

I WANT TO REMEMBER MY BROTHER, GARY, WHO ALWAYS LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT, AND TAUGHT ME TO LOVE OTHERS FOR WHO THEY ARE.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND MY ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY TEACHERS FOR PROVIDING ME WITH THE HOPE THAT I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH >> [ APPLAUSE ] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JANET JOHNSON.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> OUR NEXT AWARD PRESENTER THIS EVENING IS A 1993 ALL-STATE ALUMNUS FROM NORMAN AND THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, CAMERON UNIVERSITY AND ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY.

PLEASE WELCOME ATTORNEY AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE, ANIL GOLLAHALLI.

>> FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, RONIA DAVISON HAS BEEN AN INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER AT SADLER ARTS ACADEMY IN MUSKOGEE - FIRST AS AN AWARD-WINNING TEACHER AND -- SINCE 2010 -- AS THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL.

SADLER IS A MAGNET SCHOOL SERVING MANY HIGH POVERTY STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, WITH THE MISSION OF CREATING BETTER CITIZENS THROUGH ARTS EDUCATION.

AS THE SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATOR, MS.

DAVISON HAS TAKEN A RICH TRADITION OF ARTS-INFUSED INSTRUCTION AND MADE IT EVEN BETTER.

SHE HAS LED A CHARACTER EDUCATION INITIATIVE THAT EMPHASIZES SERVICE LEARNING AND NURTURING STUDENTS' CAPACITY TO CARE.

MS.

DAVISON MODELS WHAT SHE TEACHES BY WARMLY GREETING EACH STUDENT WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT SCHOOL AND CELEBRATING THEIR SUCCESSES.

MS.

DAVISON ALSO PARTNERS WITH TEACHERS, FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO HELP NURTURE STUDENT TALENT AND ACADEMIC GROWTH, AND SHE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN $400,000 IN GRANTS TO MAKE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS.

AS A RESULT OF HER LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO ARTS INTEGRATION, SADLER HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER.

>> WHEN THEY COME IN, AND I'M THE FIRST PERSON THAT THEY SEE, AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH ME, THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS THAT I CAN USE THAT TIME TO MAYBE BE AN INSPIRATION FOR THEM, HELP THEM IF THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE GREATEST START TO THEIR MORNING.

>> IF YOU HAVE A BAD MORNING, WHEN YOU GET TO SCHOOL, IT'S LIKE NOTHING OF THAT EVEN MATTERS.

T LIKE IT DIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN WHEN SHE SMILES AT YOU.

>> ♪ YOU'RE A SHINING STAR NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE ♪♪ >> YOU CAN FEEL THE JOY AND THE LOVE OF LEARNING IN THIS BUILDING.

THE CHILDREN ARE HAPPY, AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD INDICATOR THAT THIS IS A GREAT SCHOOL.

SADLER HAS SUCH A RICH ENVIRONMENT, THEY CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN BE GOOD AT THAT MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

>> IT'S SO AMAZING.

>> I LIKE THE ART, LIKE DANCING, MUSIC, AND ART.

>> WE HAVE AN UNWRITTEN STANDARD THAT EVERYONE WHO GETS INTO SADLER FOLLOWS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING.

>> WHETHER IT'S HISTORY, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, WE MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TIE ARTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S JUST A VERY KINESTHETIC APPROACH TO LEARNING.

FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, AT LEAST, SADLER HAS HAD THE TOP SCORES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SOME OF THE TOP SCORES IN THE STATE.

>> IT'S A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN MANY WAYS.

IT'S THE PLACE THAT I HOPE WILL ALWAYS BE SPECIAL IN THEIR HEARTS.

>> BUT SHE HAS TRULY BLOSSOMED, NOT ONLY AS A TEACHER BUT AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, AND IT'S BEEN SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH THAT.

>> ♪ >> PLAEZ WELCOME THE RECIPIENT OF THE OKLAHOMA MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, PRINCIPAL OF SADLER ARTS ACADEMY IN MUSKOGEE, RONIA DAVISON!

>> ♪ >> THANK YOU.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA?

IN 1996, I CAME TOGETHER WITH A DYNAMIC GROUP OF EDUCATORS THAT HAD AN IDEA, IT WAS AN IDEA THAT WE COULD NOT DENY.

WE WANTED TO BRING THE ARTS TO SAVE A FORGOTTEN SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AT FIRST, WE WERE A LITTLE BIT AFRAID OF OUR IDEA OF CREATING SADLER ARTS ACADEMY.

IT WAS VERY SCARY TO DO SOMETHING SO INNOVATIVE THAT FEW WOULD UNDERSTAND.

OUR IDEA GREW, AND SO DID OUR LOVE FOR IT.

WE STARTED BUILDING A PLACE TO DREAM, CREATE, LEARN, AND GROW WE LIKED BEING WITH OUR IDEA.

IT MADE US FEEL ALIVE.

IT ENCOURAGED US TO THINK, THINK BIGGER, AND THEN THINK BIGGER YET AGAIN.

IT KEPT GROWING.

OUR IDEA SHOWED US HOW TO DO THINGS WE DID NOT KNOW WE COULD.

WE SOON COULD NOT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT OUR IDEA.

SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED.

OUR IDEA SPREAD WINGS AND TOOK FLIGHT, BURST RIGHT INTO THE SKY AND SADLER ARTS ACADEMY WAS BORN.

IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE, BUT OUR IDEA WENT FROM BEING HERE TO BEING THERE TO BEING EVERYWHERE.

IT WAS JUST -- IT SOON WAS NOT JUST A PART OF US; IT WAS NOW A PART OF EVERYTHING.

I THINK WE CAN ALL RELATE TO A TIME WHEN WE HAD THE COURAGE TO ACT ON AN IDEA AND TO GIVE IT LIFE.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT WE ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE OR SO IN LOVE WITH THE OLD WAYS, BUT IT IS THAT PLACE IN BETWEEN THAT WE OFTEN FEAR.

IT TAKES COURAGE TO STEP OUT, TO TAKE RISKS, AND TO ENTER THE UNKNOWN.

IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, EVEN IF YOU ARE SCARED, IT IS BETTER TO “DO IT SCARED” THAN NOT AT ALL.

YOUR IDEA MIGHT JUST BE SOMETHING THAT CAN MAKE A CHANGE, POSSIBLY EVEN CHANGE OUR WORLD.

TWENTY-THREE YEARS AGO, WE PIONEERED THE IDEA OF AN ARTS INTEGRATION SCHOOL TO SAVE AN OVERLOOKED GROUP OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IDEA CONTINUES TO CHANGE THE WORLD OF NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS, BUT PARENTS, TEACHERS, THE COMMUNITY, BUT THOSE OF US WHO GET TO SPEND OUR DAY AT SADLER ARTS ACADEMY.

THANK YOU FOR THIS DISTINCTION.

I'M VERY HONORED.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RONIA DAVISON!

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU.

BEFORE WE PRESENT OUR MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE AT THE HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL, WE HAVE A SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU.

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE ORCHESTRA FOR BEING A PART OF TONIGHT'S CEREMONIES.

THE OKLAHOMA SUMMER ARTS INSTITUTE IS OKLAHOMA'S OFFICIAL SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND HAS BEEN THE STATE'S PREMIER ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

EACH YEAR, 270 STUDENTS ARE SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE STATEWIDE AUDITION PROCESS IN THE VISUAL, LITERARY, AND PERFORMING ARTS TO STUDY WITH NATIONALLY RENOWNED ARTISTS DURING A TWO-WEEK, INTENSIVE ACADEMY HELD AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN.

THERE IS NO MORE FITTING TRIBUTE THAN TO HAVE THIS OUTSTANDING GROUP OF TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS HERE TO HELP US SALUTE OUR 2018 ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS AND MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS.

COMING TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS AFTERNOON TO REHEARSE THIS PIECE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE ORCHESTRA, LED BY CONDUCTOR JEFFREY GROGAN OF THE OKLAHOMA YOUTH ORCHESTRAS, PERFORMING OVERTURE TO "NABUCCO" BY GIUSEPPE VERDI.

♪ ♪ [ APPLAUSE ] CONTINUE WITH THE PRESENTATION OF OUR OKLAHOMA MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE AWARDS.

PRESENTING OUR NEXT AWARD IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF AMERICAN STUDIES AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF INTERGROUP RELATIONS AT SKIDMORE COLLEGE.

PLEASE WELCOME, FROM SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, 1999 ALL-STATE ALUMNA DR.

AMBER WILEY.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> DR.

MARGARET COTTER-LYNCH WEARS MANY HATS IN HER ROLE AS PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF THE HONORS COLLEGE AT SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY IN DURANT.

SHE HAS BEEN AFFECTIONATELY CALLED A “PARENT-E-SOR” - BECAUSE OF HER ROLES AS A NURTURER, COUNSELOR, ACADEMIC ADVISOR AND TEACHER FOR HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS.

"MEG", AS SHE IS KNOWN AT SOUTHEASTERN, BRINGS TO HER ROLE A RICH KNOWLEDGE OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND HUMANITIES AND DEEP PASSION FOR HELPING STUDENTS DISCOVER AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL.

AS DIRECTOR OF THE HONORS COLLEGE, DR.

COTTER-LYNCH OVERSAW THE DESIGN OF A NEW CURRICULUM TO FOCUS ON HOW STUDENTS ENGAGE IN THEIR CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF COMMUNITY, FROM THE UNIVERSITY TO THE CITY, STATE, NATION AND WORLD.

MEG JOINS STUDENTS ON THE JOURNEY, WHETHER THEY ARE DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THEIR HOMETOWN OR EXPLORING NEW CUSTOMS AND CULTURES THROUGH STUDY ABROAD.

SHE CHALLENGES HER STUDENTS TO STEP OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONES AND TO DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY CAN BEST CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY.

>> ONE OF HER FORMER STUDENTS DID CALL HER A PARENT-O-SOR, INSTEAD OF JUST A PROFESSOR.

>> SHE HAS AN IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION.

SHE COULD HAVE TAUGHT ALMOST ANYWHERE.

BUT SHE CAME TO RURAL SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA BECAUSE OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION.

SHE BELIEVES THAT THE UNDERSERVED OR THE UNDERPREPARED DESERVE THE BEST.

>> THEY TYPICALLY SHIFT THEIR IDEA FROM "THIS IS AN EDUCATION FOR A DEGREE FOR A JOB" TO "THIS IS AN EDUCATION FOR A LIFE, FOR HAPPINESS."

>> IF THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOMETOWNS AND WORK THERE, THAT IS A COMPLETELY VALID CHOICE.

IF THEY WANT TO LEAVE AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S ALSO A VALID CHOICE, AND I WANT THEM TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE AND CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.

>> ♪ >> FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, THEIR EXPOSURE TO LIFE OUTSIDE OF OKLAHOMA IS EXTREMELY LIMITED, AND THE TRAVEL-ABROAD PROGRAM, IN MANY WAYS, REINFORCES THOSE OKLAHOMA ROOTS.

>> IT MADE ME REALIZE HOW MUCH I LOVE WHERE I COME FROM, ALSO THAT I WANT TO SEE AS MUCH OF THE WORLD AS POSSIBLE.

>> FOR THEM, IT'S A REALLY REVELATORY EXPERIENCE.

THEY REALIZE PEOPLE LIVE WAYS THEY THEMSELVES CAN FIND ALIEN OR STRANGE OR EVEN REJECT.

>> ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO GET STUDENTS OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BEING AT A SMALL SCHOOL LIKE SOUTHEASTERN IS BEING ABLE TO SEE STUDENTS GROW -- GROW INTO THEIR POTENTIAL OVER FOUR YEARS.

>> PLEASE WELCOME THE RECIPIENT OF THE OKLAHOMA MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITY & COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING, FROM SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, DR.

MARGARET COTTER-LYNCH!

>> ♪ >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE!

I'M GOING TO START BY ASKING YOU A QUESTION.

WILL YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE HUMAN?

IF YOU'RE A HUMAN BEING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

NEXT: PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CARE ABOUT ANOTHER HUMAN - FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER, REALLY ANYONE; IF THERE IS A HUMAN ON THIS PLANET THAT YOU CARE ABOUT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

EXCELLENT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

NOW, I WILL LET YOU ALL IN ON A SECRET: IF YOU RAISED YOUR HAND FOR EITHER OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU ARE, BY DEFINITION, INTERESTED IN THE HUMANITIES.

IF WE WERE IN A CLASSROOM RIGHT NOW, AND I HAD A WHITE BOARD, AND A HANDFUL OF MULTI-COLORED MARKERS, I WOULD WRITE THE WORD “HUMANITIES” ON THE BOARD, WITH THE FIRST FIVE LETTERS IN ONE COLOR, AND THE LAST 5 LETTERS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR.

WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IS THAT THE WORD “HUMANITIES” IS ACTUALLY MADE OUT OF THE WORD “HUMAN.” HUMANITIES, RIGHT?

IF WE RETURN TO OUR IMAGINARY WHITEBOARD, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER WORD TO THINK ABOUT: “POLITICS,” WHICH IS A WORD THAT MAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE ANGRY THESE DAYS.

IT COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD “POLIS,” WHICH MEANS COMMUNITY.

“POLITICS,” IF YOU RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF THE WORD, IS ABOUT HOW WE, AS HUMANS, LIVE TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY.

MY 90 SECONDS ARE ALMOST UP, SO I'LL GET TO MY POINT: AS HUMANS, I ARGUE, WE ARE MEANT TO LIVE IN COMMUNITY.

WE ARE HAPPIEST WHEN WE ARE CONNECTED TO OTHERS; WE ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE WORK WELL WITH OTHERS.

PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

ONE OF THE GREAT PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE IS THAT I GET TO WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND JOIN OTHER HUMANS IN A COMMUNITY WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER TO BE BETTER HUMANS, AND BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES.

THIS IS WHAT EDUCATION IS, AND WHAT EDUCATION DOES.

I THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY FOR COMING TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION TO OUR LIVES AS HUMANS, AND I AM DEEPLY HONORED BY RECEIVING THIS RECOGNITION FROM YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DR.

MARGARET COTTER-LYNCH.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> OUR FINAL AWARD PRESENTER TONIGHT IS A 1999 ACADEMIC ALL-STATE ALUMNUS AND NEUROSURGEON WHO SPECIALIZES IN COMPLEX SPINAL SURGERY AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENTS.

PLEASE WELCOME, FROM NEUROSCIENCE SPECIALISTS IN OKLAHOMA CITY, DR.

BRIDGER COX.

>> THE RENAISSANCE ARTIST AND INVENTOR LEONARDO DA VINCI ONCE SAID “TO DEVELOP A COMPLETE MIND: STUDY THE SCIENCE OF ART.

STUDY THE ART OF SCIENCE.

LEARN HOW TO SEE.

REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING CONNECTS TO EVERYTHING ELSE.” DR.

TYLER LEY, A PROFESSOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, IS A MASTER AT COMBINING ART AND SCIENCE TO MAKE ENGINEERING CONCEPTS COME TO LIFE.

DR.

LEY HAS GAINED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HIS RESEARCH ON CONCRETE AND ITS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

OSU STUDENTS KNOW HIM BEST FOR HIS ENTHUSIASTIC AND ENGAGING TEACHING STYLE AND HIS PASSION FOR CONCRETE!

>> [ LAUGHTER ] >> IN HIS TEACHING, DR.

LEY PRESENTS INFORMATION VERBALLY, GRAPHICALLY AND KINESTHETICALLY TO MAKE DIFFICULT CONCEPTS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL LEARNING STYLES.

HE SHARES CONSTRUCTION MILESTONES FROM HISTORY TO ILLUSTRATE THE HUMAN IMPACT OF ENGINEERING AND HAS EVEN CREATED A PLAY, “HYDRATION THEATER,” TO HAVE STUDENTS ACT OUT THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE HARDENING OF CONCRETE.

I HEAR IT'S AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE TO ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED.

THROUGH CLASS COMPETITIONS, HIS STUDENTS DESIGN, BUILD AND TEST SMALL-SCALE STRUCTURES TO INCORPORATE ALL THEY LEARN IN CLASS.

THROUGH HIS CREATIVE TEACHING TECHNIQUES, TYLER LEY IS PREPARING OKLAHOMA'S NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS AND PROBLEM-SOLVERS.

>> [ INDISCERNIBLE ].

>> MY RESEARCH IS ALL ABOUT CONCRETE, AND I TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD WITH, TRY TO MAKE IT LONGER-LASTING, TRY TO MAKE IT COST LESS, JUST MAKE IT BETTER IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.

I TRY TO SAY IT'S BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER, MORE DURABLE, MORE SUSTAINABLE.

THAT'S OUR MANTRA.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.

>> TYLER STARTS WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING ARE INTERESTING TOPICS.

>> HE LOVES CONCRETE, AND IT MAKES YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE, AND WHEN YOU LEARN, YOU LOVE CONCRETE, TOO.

>> HE HAS US GET OUT OF THE SEATS AND JUMP ON THE FLOOR, OR BE PART OF A BRIDGE OR PART OF A BEAM.

>> PEOPLE THAT KEEP MILLENNIALS ENTERTAINED, BECAUSE WE GET BORED SO QUICKLY, BUT THEY JUST LOVE DOING IT.

>> SOME ENGINEERS LIKE TYLER ARE RENAISSANCE MEN.

THEY REALLY ARE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND AND ENJOY THE ARTS.

ART'S THE EDGE OF WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.

IT'S PUSHING THE LIMITS.

AND IF YOU DON'T MAKE GREAT ART, THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

YOU'RE NOT PUSHING THE LIMITS.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPEN TODAY THAN HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

>> TO ME WHAT'S EXCITING, HE'S ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT AND BRING IT INTO THE CLASSROOM.

>> THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT MATH AND SCIENCE.

MAYBE IT WAS.

BUT ALSO ABOUT LIFE, ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

>> EVEN IF THE STUFF IN HIS CLASS ISN'T YOUR CUP OF TEA, YOU CAN STILL TAKE WHAT YOU LEARNED AND DO WITH IT WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE.

>> PLEASE WELCOME THE RECIPIENT OF THE OKLAHOMA MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH UNIVERSITY TEACHING, FROM OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, DR.

TYLER LEY!

>> ♪ >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS GREAT HONOR.

I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, ADMINISTRATION, TEACHERS, TO EVERY PERSON WHO HAS HELPED ME.

THE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE WORLD IS DOUBLING EVERY 18 MONTHS.

WHAT AN EXCITING TIME.

WHAT AN AMAZING TIME.

WHEN YOU CAN TAKE YOUR DREAM, TAKE SCIENCE FICTION AND TURN IT INTO SCIENCE FACT, THE THINGS YOU SEE AROUND YOU, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND ALL THOSE THINGS CHANGE A LOT.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT WON'T CHANGE.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT WAY.

WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE LEADERS.

I'M GOING TO SAY THAT AGAIN.

WE NEED PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT WAY.

IF EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS THE CAPABILITY TO BE A LEADER, EVERY ONE OF YOU, YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, YOU'VE GOT A SPECIAL, SPECIAL EXPERIENCE, SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.

BECAUSE, IN YOUR MIND, THESE THINGS AREN'T IMPOSSIBLE.

YOU'LL MEET SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE WHO WILL TELL YOU YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING.

THE ONLY PLACE SOMETHING CAN'TING DONE IS IN THE BRAIN.

YOU CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY.

YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

NO ONE SEES AND KNOWS WHAT YOU KNOW.

NO ONE HAS YOUR GIFTS.

PLEASE, TAKE YOUR PASSION, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR LOVE, AND LEAD US.

LEAD YOUR COMMUNITIES.

LEAD YOUR STATE.

AND LEAD YOUR NATION.

AND BUILD IT IN THE WAY THAT YOU SEE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

REMEMBER, DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME, THE RIGHT WAY.

USE ALL YOUR ABILITIES TO BE A LEADER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TAKE CARE.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DR.

TYLER LEY!

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNINGS.

JOHANN NEEM EARNED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE WHERE HE WROTE ON THE CIVIC PURPOSES OF EDUCATION.

HE WENT ON TO RECEIVE HIS MASTERS AND DOCTORAL DEGREES IN HISTORY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

TODAY DR.

NEEM IS A PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA'S INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES AND CULTURE.

DR.

NE, M'S MOST RECENT BOOK "DEMOCRACY'S SCHOOLS -- THE RISE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN AMERICA" EXAMINES HOW EARLY DEBATES OVER PUBLIC EDUCATION CAN HELP INFORM AND SHAPE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AMERICA.

PROFESSOR NEEM HAS BEEN A VOCAL ADVOCATE ABOUT THE VALUE OF A PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND HE HAS BEEN INTERVIEWED BY "THE NEW YORK TIMES" AND THE PBS NEWS HOUR.

HIS WORK HAS APPEARED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND "INSIDE HIGHER ED" AMONG OTHER MEDIA.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING OUR DISTINGUISHED KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR.

JOHANN NEEM.

>> ♪ >> [APPLAUSE] >> THAT'S MY CUE.

>> [ LAUGHTER ] >> I WANT TO THANK THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE AND DAVID BOREN FOR HIS SERVICE TO OKLAHOMA AND THE UNITED STATES IS LEGENDARY.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND HARD WORK, IT IS.

CLASSROOMS ARE COMPLICATED PLACES.

THEY'RE MADE UP OF REAL PEOPLE WITH COMPETING AMBITIONS, INTERESTS, AND MOODS.

AS A TEACHER MYSELF, I KNOW THAT ON THE BEST DAYS, SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE OTHER DAYS.

>> [ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT WHEN THINGS CLICK AND STUDENTS' EYES LIGHT UP AND THE MYSTERY IS OPENED OR A MYSTERY IS RESOLVED, THERE'S NOTHING BETTER IN THE WORLD.

A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN OKLAHOMA OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS SINCE I WAS ASKED TO COME OUT, AT LEAST IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION WORLD.

IN MY BEST NONPARTISAN FASHION, LET ME JUST SAY IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TIMES FOR EDUCATION IN THIS STATE.

I THINK THAT WHATEVER SIDE YOU'RE ON CONCERNING THE PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT DIVIDE US AS AMERICANS AND THAT CONCERNED THE TEACHERS DURING THEIR WALKOUT, WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS.

WE'RE ASKING FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KINDS OF SCHOOLS WE WANT, HOW THEY SHOULD BE PAID FOR, AND ULTIMATELY WHAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS FOR.

I'M AN IMMIGRANT.

I'M A GRADUATE OF CALIFORNIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

TODAY I'M A HISTORIAN OF THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE REVOLUTION AND THE CIVIL WAR.

WHEN I TELL MY STUDENTS ABOUT THE STRUGGLES, IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, ABOUT THOSE WHO TOOK THE OREGON TRAIL, I REMIND THEM I SHARE PART OF THAT STORY, GT AND THE BAD.

I WAS FORTUNATE.

MY TRIP TOOK DAYS, NOT MONTHS, AND THERE WERE FEWER THREATS.

BUT THE PERSONAL ASPIRATION, THE HOPE FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR ONE'S FAMILY, IN A PLACE WHERE FREEDOM IS PROTECTED ANIMATED MY PARENTS NO LESS THAN FORMER IMMIGRANTS.

LUCKILY BY THE TIME WE DECIDED TO COME, AIRLINES EXISTED, AND WE DID NOT NEED A PRAIRIE SCHOONER.

WE ARRIVED IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA, WHERE THE IMMIGRATION ACT HAD OPENED THE UNITED STATES TO PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

FOR ME AS A YOUNG CHILD, MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT AMERICA OPENED ITSELF UP TO US AND THAT, IN TURN, WE SHOULD EMBRACE OUR NEW HOME.

JUST ACROSS THE BAY FROM SAN FRANCISCO, WE MOVED TO THE SUBURBS.

MY BLOCK HAD PROTESTANTS, UNOBSERVEANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS LIKE MINE FROM INDIA.

SOME HAD DEGREES, GRADUATE DEGREES, AND SOME HAD NOT GONE TO COLLEGE.

WE WERE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

WE CELEBRATED EASTER, THE 4th OF JULY.

AT CHRISTMAS, WE WOULD COME OUT TO SHOW OFF OUR NEW TOYS AND TO PLAY TOGETHER, AND OF COURSE MOST OF US WENT TO THE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THAT SCHOOL TAUGHT US TO BE AMERICANS.

IN SCHOOL, WE LEARNED TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY.

I REMEMBER MY MOTHER INTRODUCING MY FRIENDS TO SAMOSAS.

BUT WE WERE ALSO TAUGHT THAT AMERICA BELONGED TO ALL OF US.

AS A YOUNG CHILD I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT THE PILGRIM OR FOUNDING FATHERS BELONGED TO OTHER PEOPLE.

THEY WERE MINE.

NOR WAS I TOLD THAT BECAUSE I WAS A RECENT IMMIGRANT, I WASN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR SLAVERY OR INEQUALITY.

THOSE WERE MINE, TOO.

IT WAS A SHARED HERITAGE, BOTH IN THE FORMAL CURRICULUM AND THROUGH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES, FROM FIELD TRIPS TO PUMPKIN PATCHES AND CHRISTMAS SEASON RECITALS, WE WERE NATIVE-BORN IMMIGRANTS, WELL OFF AND LESS SO.

THIS IS NO DOUBT AN IDEALIZED MEMORY, AND MANY STUDENTS' EXPERIENCE DO NOT FIT THAT PICTURE.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOTORIOUSLY SEGREGATED BY RACE AND BACKGROUNDS.

BUT WE WERE ALLOWED TO LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER, WHAT WE HAD IN COMMON AND HOW WE DIFFERED.

AND OUR PARENTS HAD A STAKE IN EACH OF OUR SUCCESS.

DIVERSE, WE WERE ALL AMERICANS.

TODAY, HOWEVER, THAT STORY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] ON THE LEFT, SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT THE STORY ITSELF IS A STORY ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE IN POWER.

FOR ME, WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT WAS THAT THE STORY BELONGED TO ALL OF US.

ON THE RIGHT, SOME AMERICANS WANT TO RECLAIM THAT STORY, DENYING PEOPLE LIKE ME A PLACE IN IT.

WE ARE STRUGGLING FOR THE SOUL OF OUR NATION, AND THAT STRUGGLE IS PLAYING OUT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHY DO WE HAVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

ULTIMATELY IT'S BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY.

PEOPLE IN A DEMOCRACY NEED TO BE EDUCATED TO FULL FIT THEIR DUTIES.

THAT'S WHY AFTER THE REVOLUTION, MANY STATE CONSTITUTIONS HAD CLAUSES MANDATING SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION N. MASSACHUSETTS, IT WAS CONSIDERED THE DUTY OF LEGISLATURES AND MAGISTRATES TO CHERISH THE INTERESTS OF SCIENCES AND LITERATURE.

GEORGIA'S 1777 CONSTITUTION PROCLAIMED SCHOOLS SHALL BE ERECTED IN EACH COUNTY AND SUPPORTED AT THE GENERAL EXPENSE OF THE STATE.

THEN IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SCHOOLING FOR ALL CITIZENS.

WHY?

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE DEMOCRACIES REQUIRE MORE OF CITIZENS THAN OTHER KINDS OF GOVERNMENTS.

OUR JOB AS CITIZENS IS NOT TO OBEY ALONE BUT TO PARTICIPATE IN SELF-RULE.

WE DO NOT LIVE IN AN EMPIRE OR A KINGDOM.

WE ARE NOT SUBJECTS BUT CITIZENS.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WHEN I ARRIVED IN AMERICA AS A 2-1/2-YEAR-OLD, BUT I WAS JOINING A 2-1/2-CENTURY-LONG EXPERIMENT IN WHETHER PEOPLE COULD GOVERN THEMSELVES.

BUT DEMOCRACY IS WEAKENING.

ONLY 30% OF MILLENNIALS BELIEVE WE ARE A DEMOCRACY.

THERE IS GRIDLOCK, WHERE SELF-INTEREST SEEMS TO PREVAIL.

MANY DO NOT SEE DEMOCRACY AS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THEIR LIVES.

THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE AROUND THE WORLD, DEMOCRACY IS ALSO AT A GLOBAL LOW.

CHINA HAS PROVEN TO THE WORLD THAT ONE CAN HAVE THE BENEFITS OF THE MARKET WITHOUT POLITICAL FREEDOM, AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE HAPPY WITH THAT, AS ARE, NO DOUBT, MANY UNELECTED LEADERS.

THERE IS SOMETHING THE SOVIET UNION COULD NEVER DO.

AMERICA HAS ALWAYS STOOD FOR MORE THAN WEALTH.

OUR COMMITMENT WAS NOT TO WEALTH BUT TO FREEDOM, AND FREEDOM REQUIRED DEMOCRACY.

AS OUR FOUNDERS NOTED, THE QUESTION IN 1776 WAS NOT ABOUT TAXES BUT ABOUT TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

CITIZENS MUST CONSENT TO THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR OWN RULE, OR THEY WOULD BE, IN THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING, SLAVES, AND THAT'S THE WORD THEY WOULD HAVE USED, AND OF COURSE THEY KNEW WHAT SLAVERY WAS LIKE BECAUSE MANY OF THEM OWNED ENSLAVED PEOPLE.

BUT WHEN THEY SAY TAX WITHOUT REPRESENTATION WAS A FORM OF SLAVERY, IT WAS A VERY REAL STATEMENT FOR THEM.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE SUPPOSED TO FOSTER OUR COMMITMENT TO CITIZENSHIP.

THIS MEANS THEY ARE NOT UNBIASED INSTITUTIONS; THEY ARE NOT NEUTRAL.

THEY ARE TO PREPARE US FOR OUR DUTIES IN A DEMOCRACY.

NONE IS MORE LEGITIMATE THAN RENDERING THE PEOPLE THE FAITH AS THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE GUARDIANS OF THEIR OWN LIBERTY.

THE PEOPLE IN JEFFERSON'S PHRASING MUST BE RENDERED SAFE.

BEING A CITIZEN IS NOT NATURAL; IT IS A PRODUCT OF EDUCATION, OF CULTIVATION.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

WELL, FIRST IT TAKES SOME KNOWLEDGE.

JEFFERSON AND OTHERS ADVOCATED INCREASING ASSETS TO THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, THE KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT ONCE BELONGED TO THE ELITE.

IN A DEMOCRACY, THEY ARGUED, IT IS NOT FOR THE PRIVILEGED FEW TO STUDY.

EVERY CHILD NEEDS TO.

AND NOT BECAUSE IT WILL GET THEM INTO COLLEGE, AND NOT BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE THEM WEALTHY BUT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE SENSE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY WILL FACE AS CITIZENS, AND AS CIVIC LEADERS.

HORACE MANN, THE FIRST SECRETARY TO THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF EDUCATION, IS OFTEN CALLED THE FOUNDING FATHER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, ARGUED THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE TO PUT ASIDE THEIR SELF-INTEREST.

YES, EDUCATION FOSTERS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

HE SAID EDUCATION IS CONVERTIBLE INTO HOUSES AND LAND, BUT HE RECOGNIZED THAT COULD BE A CURSE OR A BLESSING.

A GOOD EDUCATION WOULD NOT TEACH THEM THAT THEIR EDUCATION WOULD HELP THEM GET AHEAD BUT WOULD HELP THEM RESIST THE MORE DANGEROUS SEDUCEMENTS OF PROSPERITY.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROVIDED KNOWLEDGE AND SHAPED CITIZENS' CHARACTER.

IT TAUGHT THEM TO SEE THEMSELVES AS HAVING A DUTY TO EACH OTHER.

PEOPLE LIKE MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY.

TODAY, HOWEVER, WE TALK LESS ABOUT THESE PUBLIC PURPOSES.

OUR LEADING EDUCATORS ARGUE THAT THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MUST BE COLLEGE- AND CAREER-READINESS, AND WHEN IT COMES TO COLLEGE, MANY OF THESE SAME POLITICAL LEADERS FROM BOTH PARTIES HAVE LOST THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, SUBJECTS LIKE HISTORY, WHICH HAD BEEN IMPORTANT TO LEADERS IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

WE ARE LOSING FAITH IN DEMOCRACY.

AND THAT MAY BE WHY WE'RE LOSING FAITH IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE NO LONGER SEE THEM AS HAVING A PLACE IN OUR CIVIC ECOLOGY.

PART OF THAT IS A REFLECTION OF OUR DIVERSITY.

ON THE LEFT, MANY PROCLAIM WE ARE JUST TOO MULTI-CULTURAL, TOO DIVERSE FOR THE SCHOOLS TO PLAY THE ROLE OF AMERICANIZING IMMIGRANTS.

TODAY THE RIGHT SEEMS TO AGREE WITH THE LEFT.

OUR CURRENT SECRETARY OF EDUCATION HAS SPENT HER CAREER ADVOCATING SCHOOL CHOICE, INCLUDING PROVIDING VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BECAUSE SHE BELIEVES WE ARE TOO DIVERSE TO GO TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

MANY BELIEVE WITH HER, INCLUDING CHRISTIANS, CATHOLICS, MUSLIMS, AND JEWS.

NOW, I'M NOT ARGUING THERE'S NO ROLE FOR SCHOOL CHOICE OR INNOVATION OR NEW KINDS OF SCHOOLS.

BUT I AM ARGUING THAT WE NEED TO BETTER SERVE OUR DEMOCRATIC PURPOSES.

WE MUST ASK WHETHER WE STILL WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO PREPARE CITIZENS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO A RICH LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION, AND MAKE STUDENTS AMERICANS.

IF SO, WE MUST REFORM OUR SCHOOLS TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS MORE EFFECTIVELY.

BUT I DO WORRY THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THE QUESTION I POSE FOR US -- ARE WE TOO DIVERSE TO GO TO SCHOOL TOGETHER, OR MUST WE GO TO SCHOOL TOGETHER PRECISELY BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A DIVERSE NATION?

I ALWAYS RETURN TO THE FACT THAT DEMOCRACIES ARE FRAGILE.

WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT.

THEY DEMAND MORE FROM US.

THAT'S WHY OUR SCHOOLS CANNOT BE NEUTRAL; THEY HAVE A PUBLIC MISSION -- TO PREPARE CITIZENS TO GOVERN OUR COMMON NATION.

WE SEE ACROSS THE WORLD THE DANGERS OF TRIBALISM, WHEN PEOPLE FRAGMENT IN COMPETING GROUPS.

WE SEE SIGNS OF THAT HAPPENING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING VIOLENCE AGAINST CHURCHES, MOSQUES, AND SYNAGOGUES, RACIAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICT, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS.

FOR THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE WHO TEACH IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO TO SERVE ALL OUR STUDENTS EQUALLY, TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY.

FOR THOSE OF YOU GRADUATING AND ENTERING THE WORKFORCE AND STARTING COLLEGE, REMEMBER YOU ARE CITIZENS, NOT JUST WORKERS N. COLLEGE, DON'T SHY AWAY FROM THE ARTS AND SCIENCES.

THEY PREPARE YOU FOR ALL AASPECTS OF LIFE, PERSONAL FULFILLMENT, ALSO ECONOMIC SUCCESS.

BUSINESS LEADERS SAY THEY WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE TO THINK CRITICALLY, WRITE EFFECTIVELY, AND LEAD.

THIS DEMANDS THE CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH PROBLEMS ARISE, AND TO DO SO REQUIRES A KNOWLEDGE OF LITERATURE, OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, OF ECONOMICS AND MATH, OF PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY.

THESE SUBJECTS FORM A PART OF YOUR TOOL BOX TO MAKE YOU DEEPER, MORE EFFECTIVE THINKERS IN ALL SPHERES OF YOUR LIFE.

I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS.

AS MUCH AS I CELEBRATE PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND AS MUCH AS I ASPIRE FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO BE PLACES WHERE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE COME ALIVE, THE DAILY LIFE OF CLASSROOMS WAS TOUGH.

FOR MY MOST RECENT BOOKS, I LOOKED AT DIARIES FROM THE 1800s.

THIS WAS A VERY SURPRISING FINDING: OFTEN STUDENTS DID NOT REALLY WANT TO BE IN CLASS.

>> [ LAUGHTER ] >> NOW, PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, FOR TEACHERS, MY OTHER BIG DISCOVERY WAS NEITHER DID THE TEACHERS.

>> [ LAUGHTER ].

>> THAT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE US.

WE'RE ALL HUMAN.

FRANK MOORE WAS A CHAPLAIN DURING THE CIVIL WAR WROTE IN HIS DIARY, HIS WORDS "LOVE OF TEACHING VARIES WITH THE CONDUCT OF THE SCHOLAR."

HE RAN FROM HIS FIRST TEACHING JOB, BUT HE WENT TO MASSACHUSETTS FOR JOB NO.

2.

DESPITE ALL THE RHETORIC HE MAY HAVE HEARD FROM REFORMERS AND EDUCATION LEADERS THAT "A TEACHER'S LIFE IS ONE OF TOIL AND HARDSHIP."

TEACHERS, I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND.

BUT WHAT I FOUND WAS THE ONLY THING HARDER THAN BEING A TEACHER WAS BEING A STUDENT.

STUDENTS RECEIVED AND STILL RECEIVE MIXED MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT SCHOOL IS FOR.

THEY WANT TO PLAY, BUT SOMETIMES SCHOOL IS WORK.

SOME LOVE THEIR ACADEMICS.

MANY DID NOT.

AND FEW DID EVERY DAY.

IT'S AMAZING HOW OFTEN SNOWBALL FIGHTS SHOWED UP IN STUDENTS' NOTEBOOKS.

CLASSROOMS WERE SITES OF STRUGGLE, HENCE THE TRADITION OF TURNING OUT THE TEACHER NEAR THE END OF THE SCHOOL ROOM.

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS HAPPENS IN OKLAHOMA.

WHEN ONE TEACHER LEFT FOR A MORNING WALK, THE CHILDREN BARRED THE DOOR.

THE TEACHER TORE THINGS APART IN ORDER TO GET BACK IN.

THEY UN-BARRED THE DOOR.

IN PENNSYLVANIA, A TEACHER MIGHT ARRIVE TO FIND THE DOOR FASTENED.

HE WOULD POUND IT WITH AN AXE UNTIL HE SPLIT IT IN SEVERAL PLACES.

JUST IMAGINE THAT!

WHEN THAT FAILED, HE, QUOTE, CLIMBED TO THE ROOF AND COMMENCED TEARING AWAY THE CLABARDS BEFORE HE SOUGHT ENTRANCE THROUGH A WINDOW.

TEACHING IS TOUGH.

BUT ON THE BEST DAYS, TEACHERS INSPIRE CHILDREN'S' HEARTS AND MINDS -- THE REAL PURPOSE OF A LIBERAL EDUCATION.

THEY SHOW THEM THE WORLD IS NOT JUST FUN BUT HELP MAKE SENSE OF BEING CITIZENS, AS CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ECONOMY, BUT ALSO AS PARTNERS AND PARENTS, AS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

WE HAVE MINDS, AND WE HAVE HEARTS, AND TOGETHER EDUCATION HELPS US USE THEM WELL.

EVERYBODY GOT TO INTRODUCE THEIR TEACHER.

FOR ME, I WAS INSPIRED EARLY ON BY MY FIRST-GRADE TEACHER, MRS.

COOLEY.

SHE TAUGHT US ABOUT READING AND WRITING, AND TO CARE ABOUT OUR WORK.

I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH HER.

SHE'S IN TOUCH WITH MY KIDS, WHO WROTE TO HER.

MY SON READ "FROG AND TOAD" WHEN HE WAS 5.

SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF A TEACHER UNTIL MUCH LATER.

IN 1849, "WHILE TEACHERS CANNOT ALWAYS SEE THE EFFECT HERE OF THEIR ACTIONS, MIGHT IT BE POSSIBLE THAT A GOOD TEACHER'S CONTRIBUTION MIGHT VIBRATE THROUGH ETERNITY?"

MISS LINCOLN'S WORDS.

THANK YOU.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, DR.

NEEM.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, AND HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND, TO UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION PLAYS IN OUR SOCIETY.

PERHAPS NOW MORE THAN EVER.

THIS HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE EVENING THAT SHOULD LEAVE ALL OF US WITH INCREASED ADMIRATION FOR THE ACADEMIC ALL-STATERS AND MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE WINNERS, AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

OUR STATE NEEDS THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE MET HERE TONIGHT TO BECOME OUR NEXT LEADERS.

BY BEING SELECTED AN ACADEMIC ALL-STATER, THEY HAVE SHOWN THE INTELLIGENCE AND CHARACTER INHERENT IN SO MANY WHO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS.

DREAM BIG, AND INSPIRE OTHERS TO RISE TO THE OCCASION.

WE NEED THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW WITH VIGOR AND COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE GREATER GOOD.

THAT IS A WEIGHTY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS HAVE A TENDENCY TO REVEAL CHARACTER.

AND, SOON ENOUGH, EACH OF THE STUDENTS HONORED HERE TONIGHT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER ON THEIR PROMISE.

BUT NOBODY DOES IT ALONE.

DURING MY JOURNALISM CAREER, I'VE INTERVIEWED MANY ACCOMPLISHED AND INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND WORK.

EVERY ONE OF THEM -- EVERY ONE OF THEM!

-- HAS POINTED TO A TEACHER, AT LEAST ONE EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER WHO MOTIVATED THEM AND REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.

WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER RESPECT AND HONOR THE OUTSTANDING TEACHERS IN OUR LIVES, AND MAKE SURE GREAT TEACHERS ARE THERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

AS A YOUNG MAN, DAVID BOREN LEARNED THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

BOREN FAMILY GATHERINGS OFTEN FEATURED SPIRITED DEBATES ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND YOUNG DAVID LISTENED AND LEARNED.

ADULTS TALKED TO HIM AS IF HE WERE AN ADULT.

THROUGH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF HIS FAMILY, ADULT FRIENDS AND TEACHERS, DAVID BOREN LEARNED IMPORTANT SKILLS AND THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS, IDEAS, AND, YES, EDUCATION.

HE NEVER FORGOT THOSE WHO TAUGHT AND MENTORED HIM AND HELPED HIM ALONG THE WAY.

DAVID BOREN APPLIED WHAT HE LEARNED AND ACHIEVED GREATNESS.

PERHAPS NO OTHER PERSON IN THE HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR EDUCATION AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF OUR STATE.

BUT NOW IT'S UP TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE HONOR TONIGHT TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.

AND IT'S UP TO THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES TO STAY INVOLVED, TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR DISCUSSION, GUIDE THEM, ENCOURAGE THEM, TEACH THEM, MENTOR THEM, AND HOLD EACH OF THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

THE LIFE STORIES FOR THESE ACADEMIC ALL STATERS ARE JUST BEGINNING.

BY ENCOURAGING EXCELLENCE, YES, CONTINUED EXCELLENCE, THE ADULTS WHO INFLUENCE TODAY'S STUDENTS CAN GIVE THEM THE GIFT OF WISDOM AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

SO, AS WE CLOSE THIS CELEBRATION OF EDUCATION, PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE STUDENTS, HONORING THE TEACHERS, AND THANKING THE MAN WHOSE EXTRAORDINARY VISION AND LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE, DAVID L. BOREN.

>> [ APPLAUSE ] >> PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING AS WE COME TOGETHER WITH ONE VOICE AND PROUDLY SING "OKLAHOMA!"

♪ [ [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU!