4 minute read
Where are They Now? William R. White
Where Are They Now?
William R. White
Advertisement
“I look back on life in Sand Springs, in terms of people who didn’t give up on me and valued me,” said Dr. William “Bill” White, a 1965 graduate of Charles Page High School, “and I see the tremendous impact my teachers had on me. They really made a huge difference in my life.”
Dr. White’s career took him all over the state and his volunteer work took him all over the country �� but it all started in 7th grade when he qualified for honors-level Algebra I. “That event really shaped my high school years,” Dr. White said. “I was a B student in math, but they placed me in the honors program and I had to really work.”
“Being in that program connected me with some wonderful contacts,” Dr. White said, “like classmates who influenced me to really value my education.”
When Dr. White was in 9th grade, Coach Buck Weaver brought him on as the team manager and later the sports trainer at Charles Page High School. Toward the end of his senior year, Coach Bobby Lyons and Coach Thurman Garrett intervened on Dr. White’s behalf to help him become a student trainer at Oklahoma State University. “That was a big step in my life,” Dr. White said, “to get to go to Oklahoma State University on a full scholarship.”
Dr. White majored in education and said, “Being an athletic trainer gave me so many opportunities to travel and meet phenomenal athletes and coaches.” While he was at Oklahoma State University, he was called to duty for the United States Army. When he returned home, he went back to Oklahoma State University and married Pat Griffin. “She was a dynamic school teacher and a wonderful mother to our two daughters,” Dr. White said. (Today, Dr. White and the late Mrs. White’s children are college-level educators in Oklahoma and Mississippi.) could ever have.” He had a yearning in his heart, though, to become a superintendent, and with the help of Dr. Don Graves, Dr. White started his doctorate at Oklahoma State University.
His first superintendent position was at Deer Creek Schools, a small country district, in 1984. “I had a great opportunity to be a school leader there,” Dr. White said, and after nine years, he was hired by Ponca City Schools to be superintendent there. He was superintendent there for a decade and said he had some delightful experiences.
In 2004, Dr. White retired but was immediately called to serve as interim superintendent three times. “Being able to go in and help struggling districts was immensely rewarding,” Dr. White said. He became a lobbyist for the School Superintendent Association, too, and began volunteering with Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief.
Today, Dr. White lives in Edmond, Oklahoma and is a full-time volunteer with Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief. His primary responsibility is feeding people who have been impacted by tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, or wildfires. With Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, Dr. White has travelled to New Orleans, Texas, Colorado, New York, Haiti, and his hometown of Sand Springs.
“It is a real blessing to be able to help people,” Dr. White said. With his Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team, he shares the gospel and prays over the people whose lives have been impacted, praying for their strength to endure the traumatic weather event and offering hope through a hot meal.
Though Dr. White no longer lives in Sand Springs, he continues to follow the Sand Springs School District and said he is impressed with Ms. Sherry Durkee’s leadership. (Editor’s note: Read an article about an award Ms. Durkee recently received on page 14.) “It’s a pretty exciting place,” Dr. White said, “and I am so thankful for so many outstanding teachers who invested in me and gave me the opportunity to be successful.”
Dr. White encourages the class of 2020 to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them. “Go make some things happen,” Dr. White said. “You’ve got a wonderful foundation having attended Charles Page High School, so build on that and see where it will take you.”
“My whole life has been shaped by educators, and I’m so thankful for what they’ve done,” Dr. White said. For the students who are about to start their high school career at Charles Page High School, Dr. White said: “Be bold. Don’t think in terms of minimums. Get out there and take advantage of all the opportunities that lie ahead of you.”
