By Tony Pennington
February 21, 2007 01:07 am
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By Tony Pennington
Transcript Staff Writer
Oklahoma First Lady Kim Henry spoke Tuesday with the same intensity and passion for education recently expressed at the capital by her husband, Gov. Brad Henry, during her keynote address to supporters of Norman Public Schools at the Sarkeys Foundation Conference Center.
Confidently standing at the podium of the Norman Public School Foundation’s major gifts luncheon, Henry relied on her 10 years as an educator to describe the important roles teachers and communities play in the development of a child.
“The power of a teacher is incredible and at times overwhelming,” Henry explained. “We all know the importance of a good teacher. Outside of parents, the classroom teacher is the number one factor of a child’s success … or failure. Teachers have a real impact on children. Children look up to them, admire them, want to be them.”
Teachers often need assistance to continue building those positive relationships and rewards that encourage students to maximize their potential and achieve their goals. That help, according to Henry, can be found within the community.
“And I can tell you first-hand the importance of what you do as a foundation and as a community can and will impact the life of a child,” she said. “What you do and the funds you raise enables teachers to excel, it gives them tools and materials to foster creativity and learning in a child that might not happen otherwise.”
The NPSF has provided those opportunities for Norman’s children for more than 20 years. The mission of the foundation is to “enhance the educational experience for students, and since 1984, the organization has issued more than 1,900 grants to teachers. The grants represent about $851,076 and allow educators the necessary funds for classroom extras.
Recent grant recipients Donna Queen and Amelia Radtke, both Norman North High School science teachers, illustrated how the foundation improved classroom learning. Queen’s grant supplied equipment that analyzed heartbeats similar to an EKG. The information is recorded on a computer and used in her class’ study of anatomy. She said lab experiments are an important part of the learning process.
“Anytime we can provide a hands-on opportunity for our students,” Queen said. “It makes it meaningful for them.”
Radtke used her grant to complement her cross-curriculum goals. She is part of a team that identifies activities that have applications in several areas of study. Her students will soon read “October Sky” by Homer Hickam. Originally titled “Rocket Boys,” “October Sky” is based on Hickam’s childhood and his “pursuit of amateur rocketry.” The novel will be adapted to fit into the science and English curriculum.
“We are excited,” Radtke said. “It will increase their understanding of how science can help them, and how they can preserve and reach their goals.”
Queen’s and Radtke’s testimonies are examples of where Henry believes education as a whole in Oklahoma is heading.
“I am convinced more than ever that a strong and sound education is the key to a brighter future and a greater Oklahoma,” she said. “Education is freedom, the freedom to pursue opportunity, to realize one’s potential, to experience the full magnitude of life’s bounty.”
By acting now, Henry said, the state could attract the high-paying, high-tech and high-skill jobs of tomorrow. According to Henry, 60 percent of jobs in today’s job market require some post-secondary education. And high school graduates could earn up to 43 percent more than non-graduates. College graduates could earn up to 62 percent more than high school graduates.
“Let’s be clear,” the First Lady said. “Active minds and new ideas are the real brick and mortar of a society, the classroom being the quarry where these raw materials are honed and sharpened. There are so many things we want for ourselves and, especially, for our children – opportunity and fulfillment, prosperity and security – and yet, all too often, people think these goals can be achieved through shortcuts that bypass our public schools.
“Oklahoma cannot neglect education,” she said.
It appears Henry’s words weren’t empty. She said the governor is committed to dramatically reducing the state’s dropout rate by bolstering remediation and alternative schools; further developing voluntary preschool opportunities; and making Oklahoma the nation’s leader in student high school graduation.
But, as Henry pointed out, government initiatives aren’t enough. Education goals need the support from those who have the power to affect the children directly.
“We all know that a first-rate education requires much more than an attentive government,” she said. “You need parental involvement. You need committed teachers. You need responsible administrators. And still you need more. You need organizations like the Norman Public School Foundation.”
Tony Pennington
366-3541
schools@normantranscript.com
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