More than 150 educators traveled to Northeastern State University for training in the latest Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teaching and learning techniques at the Cherokee Nation’s Teachers of Successful Students conference.
For a fifth straight year, the Cherokee Nation funded conference at no cost to teachers.
To culminate the conference, the Cherokee Nation also awarded a Creative Teaching Grant of $1,000 to 10 teachers to start STEM projects in their classrooms next fall.
“Access to quality training and resources has never been more important for teachers in the state of Oklahoma. We are committed to expanding educational opportunities in northeast Oklahoma. The tribe has assumed an essential role in giving public school teachers better tools to teach our youth, especially in the STEM universe,” said Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr., who gave the keynote address at the closing ceremony of the conference. “We greatly appreciate the work of our educators, and the Cherokee Nation will strive to provide the support they deserve.”
Angela Wall, who teaches preschool and kindergarten at Bluejacket Public Schools, said the $1,000 grant from the tribe will help the school in implementing a robotics lab for the lower elementary students.
“This grant makes it possible for us to establish this lab. It’s not something covered in the daily material, and we will now be able to implement STEM projects in the lower grades,” Wall said. “I’m very appreciative of this grant.”
Wall was joined by more than 15 fellow Bluejacket faculty members at this year’s TOSS training.