Elementary education student selected as first OSU participant in Choctaw Nation Teach to Reach Program

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Kaitlyn Wood, an elementary education senior from Paris, Texas, was recently selected as Oklahoma State University’s first participant in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s Teach to Reach program. This career development program aims to provide support and professional development to Native American students who are seeking education degrees and planning to teach in schools with predominantly Native American students. 

By participating in the program, Wood will receive funding for tuition, books and fees as well as a monthly living stipend. Additional benefits include support during the first two years of teaching from a mentor teacher, access to professional development and cultural experiences, assistance with job placement and funding for classroom school supplies.

“As the youngest of seven, the responsibility of paying for school falls on me alone,” Wood said. “I work full time while going to school in order to pay for my education, and this scholarship helps to relieve a lot of the financial pressure that I have felt. It has and will continue to help me be able to focus more on my studies in order to get the education that I want.”

The focus of the program is to train more Native American students to enter teacher education programs so they can become highly qualified educators in Oklahoma classrooms. 

“It is important that we have teachers with different heritages in our schools because it shows students that we are a diverse community.” Wood said. “Growing up, I didn’t know much about my heritage other than that we were Native American, specifically Choctaw. “As I became older, it really interested me to find out more about my family and the heritage that I come from. My heritage is important because it tells me where I come from and makes up who I am.”

Oklahoma State University is one of five universities partnering with Teach to Reach to help support Native American students entering the teaching profession. Additional partners include the University of Oklahoma, East Central University, Northeastern Oklahoma State University and University of Central Oklahoma.

“We are thrilled for Kaitlyn,” said Dr. Robin Fuxa, director of professional education at Oklahoma State University. “We very much appreciate this opportunity from the Choctaw Nation to work to grow, encourage and support the pipeline of Native American educators for Oklahoma.”

As a land-grant institution, Oklahoma State University aims to attract, prepare, support and retain exceptional teachers for Oklahoma classrooms. According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Oklahoma State has more alumni who are Nationally Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) than any other institution in the state.

“The Oklahoma State elementary education program has prepared me to be a successful teacher in so many ways,” Wood said. “Coming into the program, I felt that I would never be ready, but this program has given me professors who care about me as a student and as a future educator. They work so hard to make sure that we are ready when we go into the field by giving us the resources that we need in the classroom.”

Following graduation in December 2019, Wood plans to teach in Oklahoma and serve in a school with a high population of Native American students. She eventually would like to go to graduate school to obtain her master’s degree in school counseling.

“I’m most looking forward to being a teacher so I can build relationships with my students,” Wood said. “In my current field placement, I love getting to be in the classroom and work with the students. They are just as excited to see me as I am to see them, and they always have stories to tell me from their week. The students make all of the work we do in the education program so worth it.”

Rachel Potts | 405-744-8320 | rachel.potts@okstate.edu