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Local Oklahoma educators attend Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute
By Sheila Stogsdill,
23 hours ago
OKLAHOMA CITY — Two Ottawa County teachers were part of a 34-member delegation of Oklahoma fifth and eighth-grade teachers who attended the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.
Brandi Pierce, a Turkey Ford teacher, and Chelsie Clapp, a Commerce School District teacher, focused on the daily life of colonial Virginians and the transition from subject to citizen during the Revolutionary War.
“This experience has changed the way I will teach. I feel like I am going to be a new teacher. I learned new information and important aspects of history that I never would have learned if I had not attended this trip. I am beyond thankful for this life-changing trip,” said Clapp.
Commerce teacher Chelsie Clapp, left, participates in a rope-making activity with fellow educators Kala Butler and Brenda Payton during the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence coordinates the selection of educators from the state for fellowships that cover the institute’s costs, including program activities, airfare, lodging, meals, and a stipend for classroom materials.
Educators had the opportunity to explore Jamestown and Yorktown.
Turkey Ford educator Brandi Pierce, left, visits with a character interpreter portraying George Washington at the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in June.
“The people portraying notable colonists of the past were so knowledgeable! To know their characters inside and out, to answer every question about their character with confidence, is an amazing feat. I appreciate all the work everyone put into investing in classroom teachers and their students,” said Pierce.
Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute is held in and around the restored capital city of Virginia. During their week there, teachers meet character interpreters and participate in hands-on activities and reenactments.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, a nonprofit that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools, has coordinated Oklahoma’s participation in the institute since 1993.
The program is made possible through the leadership and support of the late Oklahoma City businessman Edward C. Joullian III. Joullian was an active supporter, a former Colonial Williamsburg Foundation board member, and an OFE trustee. Joullian’s family and a group of loyal donors continue to support the fellowship program, which has served 1,180 Oklahoma teachers since 1993.
The Oklahoma fifth grade teacher group visits with character interpreters during their time at Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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