Tulsa teacher honored with 2023 OK Teacher of the Year

TULSA, Okla. — A trainer within the Tulsa Public Faculty district is now the 2023 Oklahoma Trainer of the 12 months.

Thursday morning the varsity district took time to honor her and she or he turned it right into a second for a scholar.

Traci Manuel is a trainer at Booker T. Washington Excessive Faculty, and she or he additionally attended the varsity so successful Oklahoma Trainer of the 12 months has actually been a full-circle second for her.

“You stand as a beacon in Tulsa,” the gang sang in the beginning of the meeting.

Beginning out with the Booker T. Washington Excessive Faculty hymn, colleagues, college students, household and pals collect to have fun and cheer on Manuel.

She’s making historical past as the primary Black particular person to obtain the consideration of turning into an Oklahoma Trainer of the 12 months and she or he’s solely one among three Tulsa Public Faculty lecturers within the final 60 years to earn this recognition.

“I’m overwhelmed with feelings. I don’t know if I may even put that into phrases,” Manuel stated.

She has been described because the epitome of excellence and a trainer who goes the additional mile for college students.

“There’s a vibrant baby locked inside each scholar, and it’s my job as an educator and the job of different educators to make it possible for we do what must be finished to make it possible for vibrant mild, that potential comes out of each baby, each day it doesn’t matter what they convey into the classroom,” she stated.

Manuel additionally believes blessings ought to be handed on. So within the spirit of her blessing, she stunned a scholar with their very own blessing.

“I get the chance to just remember to can have your first 12 months of tuition paid for,” she stated.

Senior A’Taylor Elliott was shocked by the information as lately she was accepted into the College of Oklahoma the place she needs to review to turn out to be a nurse.

“It meant rather a lot as a result of we’ve been desirous about how I used to be really going to pay for faculty,” Elliott stated. “I used to be really reconsidering going to OU as a result of I didn’t understand how I used to be going to pay for it.”

“Her mom presently simply received a second job to verify she may pay for her training,” Manuel stated.

And Elliott’s mother’s response was even higher…

“I believe she was screaming,” she stated.

Now that Manuel has made Elliott’s desires come true, she is going to go on to talk to colleges throughout the state to push that public training issues. She can also be within the operating for Nationwide Trainer of the 12 months together with one other Inexperienced Nation trainer.

Keep in contact with us anytime, anyplace —