‘ADOPT-A-TEACHER’ PROVIDES FOR ALUMNAE

STUDENT OFFICERS FROM THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION of Responsive Educators (CARE), a student organization in the UCO College of Education and Professional Studies, surprised four Central teacher education alumnae with new school supplies for their classrooms. As part of CARE’s annual Adopt-a-Teacher project, current students fundraise to provide books, school supplies and other much-needed learning materials to teachers within the Oklahoma City metro area.

This year’s recipients were Kristen Atchely (BSEd ’19), from Stone Ridge Elementary School, in Piedmont, Oklahoma; Tamesha Rayes (BSEd ’19), from Northwest Classen High School, in Oklahoma City; Angela Stephenson (BSEd ’20), from Capitol Hill High School, in Oklahoma City; and, Kitty Stuber (BSEd ’19), from James L. Dennis Elementary School, in Oklahoma City’s Putnam City Schools district.

Throughout the year, student participants of CARE focus on four specific areas to help promote their professional identity as teachers: service, advocacy, professional development and networking. The Adopt-a-Teacher project helps those who have not yet graduated from Central’s teacher education program to pay it forward to those who came before them, now working in the field.