Oklahoma Scholars Project 2003-2005

Oklahoma was one of the first six states to implement the State Scholars Initiative under the management of OBEC in May 2003. Co-chairs of the project are State Superintendent Sandy Garrett and Kerr-McGee CEO Luke Corbett. The Scholars mission is to increase the percentage of students who complete a more academically enriched course of study. The basic course requirements for Oklahoma Scholars graduates are the following:

• 4 Credits English: English I, II, III, IV
• 3 Credits Mathematics: Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II
• 3 Credits Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• 31/2 Credits Social Studies: World History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Oklahoma History, Economics
• 2 Credits Same Foreign Language Other Than English (A minimum of 2.5 GPA is required in the core subjects as well as an over-all 2.5 GPA.)

Scholars is a high impact, low cost, business-led program that places business leaders in eighth grade classrooms to tell students the benefits of completing the Scholars program, specifically that Scholars graduates have more options beyond high school. The program is offered to all students, but the focus is aimed at the middle 50 percentile, those students who normally take the path of least resistance but respond well to encouragement.

There are three components to the project. The first is the Great Expectations, Great Rewards presentation which is given to each eighth grade class during the regular class period and covers global competition, transcripts, life-span analysis, and a budget based on a modest income. It is presented approximately two weeks before students enroll in their classes for ninth grade.

The second component is Incentives and Support to Stay on Track. Business leaders in each community will establish a strategy for securing incentives for their student population. These are low cost tangibles given to qualifying Scholars participants as a way to keep students encouraged and motivated when the harder courses present challenges. Prime parking spaces at school, prom tickets, movie tickets, discounts with local merchants, off campus lunches, and college visits are just a few examples of those incentives.

The third component is the Senior Recognition Event(s). Each Oklahoma Scholar who completes all graduation requirements will receive a gold medallion, either at an awards assembly or at commencement. The business community will sponsor a special event to honor those students after graduation.

In the fall of 2003, four school districts and their respective chambers (Ardmore City Schools, Ardmore Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Durant Public Schools, Durant Area Chamber of Commerce, Sand Springs Public Schools, Sand Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Tulsa Public Schools, and Tulsa Metro Chamber) were selected to implement Scholars as pilot sites. Collectively, the four pilot communities trained 200 volunteer/business leaders to give presentations to over 4,000 eighth graders and implemented the Scholars Project. These sites gained experiences that were valuable as they moved into the second year and added another 4,000 students to the Scholars program.

Two of the pilot sites recognized the first Oklahoma Scholars graduates in May of 2005. Ardmore City Schools recognized thirteen Scholars¡¦ graduates by having business presenters award the gold medallions during commencement exercises. Ardmore Scholars¡¦ graduates were also treated with a Senior Recognition Event, a day trip to Six Flags Over Texas. Durant Public Schools presented nine graduates who met the Scholars¡¦ requirements with a gold medallion at an awards ceremony on May 17.

Four new sites that were added in the school year 2004-2005 were Norman, McAlester, Sperry, and Woodward (along with Norman Chamber of Commerce, McAlester Chamber of Commerce, Sperry Merchants Association, and Woodward Chamber of Commerce). This brought approximately 1,500 more eighth grade students to view the presentations. Other sites continue to express interest and request information for implementation in 2006, including the second largest school district in central Oklahoma.

In May of 2003, Oklahoma Scholars partnered with the State Chamber of Oklahoma to provide the business component of the project. However, Oklahoma has 541 school districts, and many of those small, rural communities have little or no business presence. The insight of one business presenter, Hoyit Bacon of Tulsa, provided the impetus to create a special partnership in those areas lacking business resources. Mr. Bacon inspired the tribal representatives about Scholars at a formal presentation on September 9, 2004, at the Oklahoma State Capitol. As a result of his efforts, the Five Civilized Tribes and the Inter-Tribal Council of Northeastern Oklahoma have written resolutions to partner with Scholars in communities where no business entities exist or to work with existing business resources in those districts.

For more information on Oklahoma Scholars contact Terri Nicoll at 405/270-4498 or tlnicoll@earthlink.net.