High school students visit NWOSU-Alva for ‘Teach Okla.’

Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityAlva played host to Alva, Enid and Ponca City High School students recently for the high schools’ “Teach Oklahoma” course.

Teach Oklahoma was designed to mentor high school students about teaching and provide fundamental knowledge about the teaching profession in Oklahoma. The course is supported by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Northwestern teacher candidates who assisted included Sapulpa senior Jerika Coon, Alva junior Saydy Graybill, Laverne senior Erika Hernandez, Alva senior Donovan Paden, Enid junior Natasha Stocks and Hutchinson, Kansas, junior Matt Voth.

AHS students attending included Julius Cardonita, Brileigh Duncan, Travis Hazelwood, Drake Wharton and Faina Whitaker. Halah Simon, AHS language arts educator and sponsor, also attended.

EHS students attending included Kiya Benz, Gage Blunk, Jessica Gonzalez, Dominique Harman, Jacob Hassler, Dottie Hill, Ospie Langrine, Kaylee Lantz, Kadence Larson, Parker Phillips, Aniston Ramsey, Bailey Roque, Emily Spruill, Marithza Velazquez and Kaitlyn Wilson. Dusty Hugaboom, EHS astronomy teacher and sponsor, also attended.

PCHS students attending included Jayden Batman and Kayleona Brown. Angela Buller, PCHS family and consumer sciences teacher and sponsor, also attended.

The day’s activities included the high school students sitting in on various college courses to experience a typical college class. Students could choose from the following options -- English with Dawn Allen, assistant professor of English; all things band- and music-related with Dr. Michael Black, director of Northwestern bands and assistant professor of music; education with Summer Foster, instructor of education; mathematics with Dr. Dena Walker, associate professor of mathematics; biology with Dr. Rebecca MacKay, assistant professor of biology, and psychology with Misti Kline, lecturer of psychology.

Students were welcomed by Dr. Jennifer Oswald, chair of the Division of Education and associate professor of education. Oswald facilitated a questionand-answer session with current Northwestern teacher candidates. The high school students also toured the campus and had lunch in the Coronado Café.

Oswald believes in active learning experiences, especially for future teachers.

“We are always excited to welcome high schoolers, and especially future educators, to our campus,” Oswald said. “Northwestern started as a normal school to train teachers and meet the demand for quality educators in northwest Oklahoma and beyond. We are proud to continue that tradition today.”

Northwestern’s teacher education program, which is housed in the Division of Education, is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Office for Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA).

For more information about Northwestern’s teaching programs contact Oswald at (580) 327-8451 or jdoswald@nwosu. edu or visit their web page at https://www. nwosu.edu/school-ofprofessional-studies/ education.