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OFE News Release

Gov. Henry Declares Oct. 23 as Ron Clark Day to Honor Renowned Educator's Visit to State

October 8, 2008

Ron Clark

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Gov. Brad Henry has declared Thursday, Oct. 23, as Ron Clark Day in Oklahoma to honor the nationally renowned educator who will visit Oklahoma to share his inspiring story and practical ideas for promoting academic achievement at school, at home and in the community.

The Community Educational Opportunity (CEO), hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence are collaborating to bring the national award-winning educator and author to Oklahoma to address public school foundation leaders, educators and parents in separate speaking engagements.

A teacher since 1995, Clark has taught in some of the most challenging schools in the country. He was recently named to “People Magazine’s” Heroes Among Us and in 2000 received Disney’s American Teacher of the Year Award in recognition of his innovative teaching. He is the author of two best-selling books, “The Essential 55,” which highlights his rules for student success, and “The Excellent 11,” which describes qualities that teachers and parents can use to motivate and inspire students.

Clark has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN and on “Oprah,” where he was honored as Oprah Winfrey’s first “Phenomenal Man.” His innovative teaching is the subject of an award-winning film, “The Ron Clark Story,” starring Matthew Perry. Most recently, Clark has founded the Ron Clark Academy, an inner-city Atlanta school known for its innovative teaching methods and curriculum based on worldwide travel. The academy also serves as an inspiring training ground for teachers from around the world.

Clark will kick off his Oklahoma visit by giving the opening keynote address at 8:45 a.m. at the 20th annual Fall Forum for Local Education Foundations at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave., on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. Clark will share his most effective techniques for helping students succeed, discuss ways to infuse creativity into a standards-based curriculum and demonstrate how he rallied community support for “the school of his dreams.”

Registration for Clark’s opening address only is $10 or $5 each for groups of five or more. Registration for the entire Fall Forum conference and luncheon is $50 before Oct. 10 and $60 thereafter. Presented by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, the Fall Forum is Oklahoma’s premiere conference for school foundation volunteers and educators. For registration information, visit www.ofe.org or call Karen Rose, director of Local Education Foundation Outreach, at (918) 743-5533.

Later in the day, Clark will travel to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he will give a presentation titled “Especially for Educators” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Nigh University Center, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond. His address will include time for questions. Following the presentation, Clark will autograph books from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

In the evening, Clark will give a special presentation from 7 to 8:30 p.m. targeted at parents, grandparents and others concerned about children and education. The evening presentation, also in the Nigh University Center, will be followed by a book signing from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Admission to each of Clark’s UCO appearances is $30 per person. To register, visit www.uco.edu/ronclark. For information, contact Karen Youngblood, director of Staff Leadership Development and External Leadership Training, University of Central Oklahoma, (405) 974-5599.

“We are so excited to welcome Ron Clark to Oklahoma to share his inspiring experiences as an innovative teacher,” Youngblood said. “We believe the lessons learned during his visit to our state will have the potential to transform Oklahoma classrooms, to inspire more parent involvement and to engage community leaders in a deeper level of support for academic achievement.”

Major presenters of Clark’s UCO appearances are the Educators’ Leadership Academy, the Minority Teacher Recruitment Center at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Optim Oncology, and the University of Central Oklahoma as well as the UCO College of Education and Professional Studies, Dr. and Mrs. Mike Steffen, and Edmond Medical Center. Other sponsors are Best of Books; Citizens Bank of Edmond; Dennis Chaumont Insurance, representing State Farm; Dr. and Mrs. Timothy D. Siler, the Edmond Sun; Jazzercise Center of Edmond; Kenneth C. Heidenreich, CFP, ChFC, CRPC; Lester, Loving and Davies; the Offices of Paul G. Tobin, Ph.D., P.C. and Ann E. Benjamin, M.Ed, Inc.; and Village Center Pediatrics.

Major sponsors of Ron Clark’s appearance at the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Fall Forum for Local Education Foundations are the University of Oklahoma, the OU College of Education, ONEOK, Bank of Oklahoma, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Holton, Inasmuch Foundation, and the Kirkpatrick Family Fund.