Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development

Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development

2004 Recipients

The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has announced the recipients of its 2004 Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development. The 32 recipients are listed below by hometown and the towns in which they teach.

ADA – Ada resident Melisa Rice, a junior high and high school mathematics teacher for Macomb Public School, received a scholarship to attend the T3 International Conference in New Orleans March 12 through 14. The T3 conference is designed to help teachers better integrate technology into the classroom.

AMBER – Amber resident Kacie Skaggs, a special education teacher at Roblyer Middle School in El Reno, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

ARDMORE – Don Loving, an Ardmore resident and science teacher for Turner Schools in BURNEYVILLE, received a scholarship to attend the National Congress for Aerospace conference April 24 through 27 in Atlanta.

BILLINGS – Tracy Hilger, a mathematics teacher at Billings Public School, received a scholarship to attend the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference April 21 through 24 in Philadelphia.

BIXBY – Rosalyn Dittman, a music and technology teacher at Central Elementary School, received a scholarship to attend the Texas Music Educators Association Technology Integration Conference Feb. 10 through 14 in San Antonio. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa.

BROKEN ARROW – Broken Arrow resident Rosalyn Dittman, a music and technology teacher at Central Elementary School in Bixby, received a scholarship to attend the Texas Music Educators Association Technology Integration Conference Feb. 10 through 14 in San Antonio. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa.

Broken Arrow resident Janice Sosa, a literacy coach at Bryant Elementary School in Tulsa, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Annual convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa.

CEMENT – Debra Smith, a computer and business teacher at Cement School, received a scholarship to attend the National Educational Computing Conference June 19 through 23 in New Orleans. Smith lives in Gracemont.

CHICKASHA – Chickasha resident Karen Schmidt, a special education teacher for Minco Independent Schools, is the recipient of the first Audre’ L. Henry Scholarship for Special Education Teachers. The new scholarship was established through memorial gifts made to the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence in honor of Gov. Brad Henry’s mother, a former special education teacher and school administrator, who died last summer from complications related to diabetes. Schmidt will use the scholarship to attend the National Council for Exceptional Children conference April 14 through 17 in New Orleans.

COMANCHE – Comanche resident Jamie Cook, a learning disabilities teacher at Duncan High School, received a Kenneth R. and Juliette Woodward Scholarship to attend the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Pre-Conference Institute March 18 and 19 in New Orleans. The Woodwards are retired Duncan schoolteachers who have created an endowment to provide professional development scholarships for teachers in Duncan and Stephens County.

DUNCAN – Duncan teachers Jamie Cook and Judy McClain are recipients of Kenneth R. and Juliette Woodward Scholarships. The Woodwards are retired Duncan schoolteachers who have created an endowment to provide professional development scholarships for teachers in Duncan and Stephens County. Cook, a learning disabilities teacher at Duncan High School, received her scholarship to attend the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Pre-Conference Institute March 18 and 19 in New Orleans. McClain, a fifth-grade teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School, will attend the International Reading Association annual convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev.

EDMOND – Kathleen Blake, an art teacher at Edmond Memorial High School, received a scholarship to attend the National Art Education Convention April 15 through 19 in Denver. Blake’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Blake has been a classroom teacher for 29 years, including 21 years at Edmond Memorial.

Sandra Kay Brown, a third-grade teacher at Chisholm Elementary School, received a scholarship to attend the Kagan Cooperative Learning Training for Trainers workshop in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The workshop will help prepare Brown to train other Oklahoma teachers in using cooperative learning techniques. Brown’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Kim Miller, a second-grade teacher at Oakdale School, has received a scholarship to attend the All Kinds of Minds Institute at the University of North Carolina. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Ann Nelson, a music teacher at Will Rogers Elementary, received a scholarship to attend the Love and Logic Instructor Training conference May 13 through 15 in Denver. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

EL RENO – Roblyer Middle School teachers Corinn Allen, who teaches sixth-grade language arts, and special education teachers Melissa Lewis and Kacie Skaggs received scholarships to attend the International Reading Association Convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Their scholarships are made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Karen Jennings, an El Reno High School chemistry and physics teacher, received a scholarship to attend the National Science Teachers Association National Convention April 1 through 4 in Atlanta. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Joy Osborne, a seventh-grade math teacher at Roblyer Middle School Middle School, received a scholarship to attend the Nuts & Bolts Middle School Symposium in Boulder, Colo., in July. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

GRACEMONT – Gracemont resident Debra Smith, a computer and business teacher at Cement School, received a scholarship to attend the National Educational Computing Conference June 19 through 23 in New Orleans.

JENKS – Jenks resident Nancy Massey, a sixth-grade and Spanish teacher at Union Sixth and Seventh-Grade Center in Tulsa, received a scholarship to attend the Blaine Ray Physical Response Storytelling Conference in Las Vegas July 12 through 17. She is attending the conference to learn how to incorporate storytelling into her Spanish education curriculum. Massey’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa.

MACOMB -- Melisa Rice, a junior high and high school mathematics teacher for Macomb Public School, received a scholarship to attend the T3 International Conference in New Orleans March 12 through 14. The conference is designed to help teachers enhance the use of technology in the classroom. Rice is a resident of Ada.

MINCO -- Karen Schmidt, a special education teacher for Minco Independent Schools, is the recipient of the first Audre’ L. Henry Scholarship for Special Education Teachers. The new scholarship was established through memorial gifts made to the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence in honor of Gov. Brad Henry’s mother, a former special education teacher and school administrator, who died last summer from complications related to diabetes. Schmidt will use the scholarship to attend the National Council for Exceptional Children conference April 14 through 17 in New Orleans.

MOORE – Janel Cypert, who teaches reading and U.S. history for special education students at Moore High School, received a scholarship to attend the National Council for Exceptional Children conference April 14 through 17 in New Orleans. Cypert’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Cypert lives in Purcell.

Tonya Pember, a kindergarten teacher at Leslie Fisher Elementary School in Moore, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Pember lives in Oklahoma City.

MUSKOGEE – Linda K. Hasler-Reid, a Spanish teacher at the Muskogee 7th and 8th Grade Center, received a scholarship to attend the Southwest Conference on Language Learning March 25 through 27 in Albuquerque, N.M.

MUSTANG -- Donna Kaiser, a gifted and talented teacher at Mustang Education Center, received a scholarship to attend Confratute, the summer institute for enrichment learning and teaching at the University of Connecticut, held July 12 through 23. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

NORMAN – Kate Baugher, a chemistry and physical science teacher at Norman North High School, received a scholarship to attend the Possum Point Biological Station Summer Institute May 29 through June 6 in Dangriga, Belize. Baugher’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Third-grade teacher Stacy Darling and Title I reading specialist Lisa Raiber, both of Eisenhower Elementary School, received scholarships to attend the International Reading Association Annual convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Their scholarships are made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Susan Maloney, a first-grade teacher at Adams Elementary School, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Vickie Wood, a special education teacher at Cleveland Elementary, received a scholarship to attend the National Council for Exceptional Children conference April 14 through 17 in New Orleans. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Cathy Douglas, a gifted and talented resource teacher at Putnam City West High School, received a scholarship to attend Confratute, the summer institute for enrichment learning and teaching at the University of Connecticut, held July 12 through 23. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Oklahoma City resident Tonya Pember, a kindergarten teacher at Leslie Fisher Elementary School in Moore, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

PURCELL – Purcell resident Janel Cypert, who teaches reading and U.S. history for special education students at Moore High School, received a scholarship to attend the National Council for Exceptional Children conference April 14 through 17 in New Orleans. Cypert’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

STILWELL – Stilwell resident Michelle Paden, a first-grade teacher at Westville Elementary School, and colleague Margaret “Kitty” Collins, a second-grade teacher, received scholarships to attend the Four-Blocks Conference Jan. 31 at Wake Forest University in Clemmons, N.C. The Four-Blocks framework focuses on providing balanced literacy instruction for students of various learning styles.

TULSA – Nancy Massey, a sixth-grade and Spanish teacher at Union Sixth and Seventh-Grade Center, received a scholarship to attend the Blaine Ray Physical Response Storytelling Conference in Las Vegas July 12 through 17. She is attending the conference to learn how to incorporate storytelling into her Spanish education curriculum. Massey’s scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa. Massey lives in Jenks.
Janice Sosa, a literacy coach at Bryant Elementary School in Tulsa, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Annual convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation of Tulsa. Sosa is a resident of Broken Arrow.

TUTTLE – Tuttle resident Melissa Lewis, a special education teacher at Roblyer Middle School in El Reno, received a scholarship to attend the International Reading Association Annual convention May 2 through 6 in Reno, Nev. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

WESTVILLE – Second-grade teacher Margaret “Kitty” Collins, and first-grade teacher Michelle Paden of Westville Elementary School, received scholarships to attend the Four-Blocks Conference Jan. 31 at Wake Forest University in Clemmons, N.C. The Four-Blocks framework focuses on providing balanced literacy instruction for students of various learning styles.

YUKON – Yukon resident Donna Kaiser, a gifted and talented teacher at Mustang Education Center, received a scholarship to attend Confratute, the summer institute for enrichment learning and teaching at the University of Connecticut, held July 12 through 23. Her scholarship is made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.