Oklahoma

Paula Lewis wins reelection as OKCPS school board leader • Oklahoma Voice

Published

2 months ago

February 12, 2025

Paula Lewis wins reelection as OKCPS school board leader • Oklahoma Voice

OKLAHOMA CITY — An incumbent school board leader in Oklahoma City Public Schools won reelection in dominant fashion Tuesday.

Paula Lewis secured another four years as board chairperson in the Oklahoma City district by earning 53.54% of the vote, crossing the 50% threshold needed to win the seat without continuing to a general election.

She defeated Niah Spriggs, who earned 29.69% of the vote, and Jan Barrick with 16.76%.

Lewis, 54, ran on her record of leading the school board through a transformative era in the district’s history since she became chairperson in 2017, a period that includes carrying out a massive school consolidation plan in 2019, weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and securing a historic $955 million bond issue in 2022.

“We have really smart kids,” Lewis said as the final results rolled in Tuesday night. “They weren’t able to get the resources they needed soon enough, and we’re getting them there. We’ve right-sized the budgets. We’ve passed the bond. We’ve done all the things, and now our kids are ready to go. We’re going to really change lives in the next four years.”

She fended off Spriggs, 50, and Barrick, 73 — two first-time candidates who campaigned for change in a district that has chronically suffered from low reading and math scores.

Barrick did not return a request for comment Tuesday night.

Niah Spriggs earned 29.69% of the vote, falling short of Paula Lewis, in the election for the board chairperson seat on the Board of Education in Oklahoma City Public Schools. (Photo provided)

Spriggs, an educator and former businesswoman, said the results were “sad for the children of Oklahoma.” She said the state has “allowed the system to fail for so long, it’s going to be very difficult to pull ourselves out of this hole.”

“Hopefully we can make some impactful change, hopefully starting the conversation,” Spriggs said when reached Tuesday night. “Because before Jan (Barrick) and I started talking about this, everything was the status quo.”

Spriggs also lamented the large amount of money poured into the race.

Lewis raised $66,640 for her reelection campaign, public records show. Spriggs raised $4,250 and loaned her campaign $1,200, according to campaign finance records.

Jan Barrick finished third in the race for the school board chairperson seat in Oklahoma City Public Schools with 16.76% of the vote. (Photo provided)

Barrick, the former owner of the curriculum and testing provider Alpha Plus Educational Systems, hasn’t filed any documents detailing her campaign fundraising or spending.

Lewis, an occupational therapist, pledged to continue steady leadership as the board develops a new strategic plan focused on student outcomes. She said the goal is for the board to spend 50% of its meetings discussing academic results and student achievement.

This will be her final term on the school board, she said. Her son, Reign, will be in the final months of his senior year of high school when her term comes to a close in 2029.

“I won’t run again because I feel like being a parent has been a game changer,” Lewis said. “Sitting in this seat, it has allowed me to see the decisions we take votes on from a parent’s view and how that affects me at my house and my children, as well as from a district policy level.”

Two other board incumbents, Carole Thompson from District 1 and Vice Chairperson Lori Bowman from District 2, automatically were reelected to four-year terms after not drawing opponents.

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Oklahoma

No. 2 Oklahoma softball loses first SEC series, falling to No. 10 Tennessee in finale

Published

6 hours ago

March 30, 2025

Press Room

No. 2 Oklahoma softball loses first SEC series, falling to No. 10 Tennessee in finale

Everything happens a first time. But few thought the No. 2 Oklahoma softball team would suffer such a fate this early in the season.

OU dropped its series finale against No. 10 Tennessee on Sunday, 5-3, and dropped a Southeastern Conference series for the first time in school history. The Sooners had beaten South Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri in its first three SEC sets.

One big inning from the Volunteers is all it took.

Tennessee responded to Oklahoma’s three runs in the bottom of the third with five of its own in the top of fourth. And they all came with two outs. Oklahoma starter Sam Landry retired the first two hitters of the frame before giving up a walk, a single and another walk to load the bases. Laura Mealer knocked in two with a double and Ella Dodge followed three pitches later, planting a home run over the right field fence.

Only two Sooners reached base in OU’s final four innings at-bat as they never truly threatened a rally.

Tennessee starter Karlyn Pickens, who last week set an NCAA record for fastest pitch when she threw a 78.3 miles-per-hour fastball against Arkansas, took a bit to find her rhythm, but finished the game allowing three runs on four hits and three walks and a hit batter while striking out six.

Oklahoma simply couldn’t find the big hit. The Sooners’ only extra-base knock came from a Kasidi Pickering three-run double in the third inning. Pickens retired 15 of the next 17 batters she faced.

Landry took the loss for OU as she gave up five runs on four hits and two walks while also striking out six. She allowed a home run and a double.

The Sooners will get back to things with a double-header Friday at Love Field against St. Thomas from the Summit League and Central Florida from the Big 12. UCF and OU will meet again Saturday in the final game in the Oktana Invitational.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma City takes on Chicago, seeks 10th straight victory

Published

17 hours ago

March 30, 2025

Press Room

Chicago Bulls (33-41, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (62-12, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City heads into a matchup against Chicago as winners of nine games in a row.

The Thunder are 33-5 on their home court. Oklahoma City averages 120.1 points while outscoring opponents by 13.2 points per game.

The Bulls have gone 19-18 away from home. Chicago ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 18.2 fast break points per game led by Coby White averaging 4.5.

The Thunder are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.2 percentage points higher than the 46.9% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls are shooting 46.7% from the field, 3.2% higher than the 43.5% the Thunder’s opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

White is shooting 44.6% and averaging 20.4 points for the Bulls. Kevin Huerter is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 123.4 points, 45.9 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.

Bulls: 7-3, averaging 122.4 points, 45.7 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Aaron Wiggins: day to day (achilles), Ousmane Dieng: day to day (calf), Jaylin Williams: day to day (hip), Alex Ducas: day to day (quadriceps), Nikola Topic: out for season (acl), Ajay Mitchell: out (toe).

Bulls: Ayo Dosunmu: out for season (shoulder), E.J. Liddell: day to day (illness), Lonzo Ball: day to day (wrist), Tre Jones: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Oklahoma

Who is Raegan Beers? What to know about Oklahoma star for March Madness game vs. UConn

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2025

Press Room

Who is Raegan Beers? What to know about Oklahoma star for March Madness game vs. UConn

Editor’s note: Follow UConn women’s basketball vs. Oklahoma live updates from their Sweet 16 matchup.

Raegan Beers and No. 3 Oklahoma aim for their fourth Elite Eight appearance as they face No. 2 UConn in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA women’s tournament.

The Oregon State transfer is the top scorer for the Sooners, putting up 25 points and 18 rebounds in their first-round game against Florida Gulf Coast University. In the second-round win over Iowa, the junior added 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Beers was named to the All-SEC First Team and is a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award.

Here is more of what you need to know about the Oklahoma star center.

Raegan Beers Career stats

Oregon State Beavers

2022-23: Played in 31 games, averaging 13.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
2022-23: Started 31 games, averaging 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Oklahoma Sooners

2024-25: Started in 32 games, averaging 17.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Is Raegan Beers eligible for the WNBA draft?

Beers was born on March 23, 2004, which makes her 21 years old. She does not qualify for the WNBA Draft because the league requires domestic draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and to have no remaining college eligibility. She would qualify for the 2026 draft.

Raegan Beers height

Beers is listed at 6-foot-4 on the official Oklahoma women’s baseball roster, sharing the title of tallest player with forward Kiersten Johnson.

Raegan Beers recruiting

Beers was a five-star recruit and the No. 10 overall player and the No. 3 center in the 2022 recruiting class by ESPN HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She attended Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where she was a McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022.

Beers committed Oregon State over Stanford, Colorado, UConn and Notre Dame.

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