Celebrating Teachers: Stillwater Educators Recognized with OSU Mentor Awards

Thursday, May 19, 2016

The OSU College of Education recently recognized three Stillwater Public Schools educators for their efforts in mentoring OSU teacher education and counseling students. Will Rogers Elementary teacher James Hall, Stillwater High School family and consumer science teacher Fran Stellman and Lincoln Academy counselor Patricia McClain are the winners of the spring 2016 OSU Outstanding Mentor Educator Awards.

Part of an OSU College of Education effort to celebrate teachers, the Outstanding Mentor Teacher Award recognizes and rewards excellence among educators who mentor OSU teacher candidates during their in clinical practice and student teaching internships. Nominations were solicited from OSU students, faculty, school administrators and clinical supervisors. Winners were selected in three categories – elementary/early childhood, secondary, and other/PK-12.

“Mentor educators are incredibly important to the work we in the College of Education do to prepare future teachers and counselors,” Dean John Romans said. “We are grateful for our partnership with Stillwater Public Schools and the investment made in our OSU students.”

Stellman, Hall and McClain were surprised at their respective school sites and presented with an award plaque and gift basket.

Hall is the winner in the elementary/early childhood category. He was nominated by Robin Simma, who served as a clinical practice/student teaching intern in his fourth-grade classroom. Clinical practice/student teaching intern Lora Long and university supervisor Paula Tripp nominated Stellman, who was selected in the secondary education category. School counseling intern Lauren Gin nominated McClain, the winner in the Other/PK-12 category. 

The inaugural winners of the award in the Fall of 2015 were Brenda Wilson (Jenks West Intermediate), Tracy Gustafson (Coyle Public Schools) and Amy Presley (Broken Arrow High School).