Oklahoma Hall of Fame partners with elementary school for history lesson

Keeping the attention of third-graders can be difficult, but a new initiative at Oklahoma City Public Schools is captivating students.

“Third grade does Oklahoma history. And we wanted to focus on a part of our city that our students may not know the history about, which is Deep Deuce,” said Theresa Fout, with Oklahoma City Public Schools.

The Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s “Oklahoma Originals” was created to teach students about impactful people from the state.

“This program first started as a rural program, an opportunity for us to reach out to underserved communities,” said Jorge Chavez. “Currently focusing on Ralph Ellison, a very notable author, worldwide known.

Students listened intently to the acclaimed author and his childhood in Oklahoma City.

“Learn about reading and writing, and we learn about the book ‘Invisible Man,’” said one third-grade student.

Ellison’s award-winning book, The Invisible Man, challenged the students to write about a time when they felt invisible. There was also a magic art creation, and each student left with their very own Ralph Ellison book.

“This is a great way for us to just connect directly with each school here in Oklahoma City,” said Chavez.