OFE News Release
Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Offers Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development
August 31, 2004
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma teachers can apply through Oct. 30
for professional development scholarships administered by the Oklahoma
Foundation for Excellence, a nonprofit organization that recognizes and
encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma's public schools.
Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development are designed to enhance educational opportunities for students by allowing teachers to attend top-quality regional, national and international workshops and institutes in their chosen fields. The scholarships help cover the costs of tuition, transportation, lodging and, if necessary, the expense of hiring a substitute teacher.
Scholarships will be awarded this December for teacher conferences and institutes scheduled in the spring semester or summer of 2005. Applications are available online or by contacting the foundation office at (405) 236-0006. Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 30, 2004.
"Researchers have found that teacher ability is a stronger determinant
of student achievement than a student's economic standing, race or parents'
educational attainment," said Emily Stratton, executive director of the Oklahoma
Foundation for Excellence. "Providing quality professional development
opportunities to Oklahoma's teachers is critical to the success of Oklahoma's
students."
The Foundation for Excellence launched its Teacher Scholarships for Professional
Development in spring 2003. Since then, 49 scholarship recipients have attended
professional development offerings in such areas as reading, fine arts, English,
mathematics, science and special education.
Scholarship recipient Donna Smith, a teacher at Ada STEPS Alternative Academy, said opportunities for quality professional development at the national level are rare because of tight school budgets. "This scholarship gave me the opportunity to attend three days of non-stop, informative, hands-on workshops and lectures, as well as network with other math teachers from across the nation," she said. "I returned to school eager to try out the new strategies and activities that I learned."
Scholarship applicants must currently be employed as an elementary or secondary teacher in an Oklahoma public school. They must also have at least two years of teaching experience in Oklahoma prior to the conference or meeting for which the scholarship will be used. Each application requires a statement of support from the applicant’s principal or superintendent.
Applicants may apply for scholarships in one of five categories: for teachers who work in Title 1 schools with 50 percent or more students at or below poverty level; for the Kenneth R. & Juliette Woodward Teacher Scholarship for teachers in Duncan or Stephens County; for the Audre' L. Henry Scholarship for Special Education Teachers; scholarships for teachers in Tulsa County; and non-restricted scholarships. Recipients will be selected by a committee composed of Medal for Excellence award-winning educators.
Offered for its second year is the Audre' L. Henry Scholarship for Special Education Teachers. This new scholarship was established through memorial gifts made to the Foundation for Excellence in honor of Gov. Brad Henry's mother, a former special education teacher and school administrator, who died in July 2003.
Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development are also made possible through support from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation; IBC Bank; Kenneth and Juliette Woodward of Duncan; the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation, the Hille Foundation and the Temple Foundation, all of Tulsa. The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence also recently launched a memorial and honorary gifts program benefiting its Teacher Scholarship Fund.
For more information or to learn about giving opportunities to the Teacher Scholarship Fund, contact the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence at (405) 236-0006.
CONTACT:
Brenda Wheelock,
OFE Communications Director
(405) 236-0006; e-mail bwheelock@ofe.org