Student and Staff Accomplishments
Hefner Middle School’s 7th-grade Knowledge Master Team finished second in the state in an online academic competition held Dec. 6. Students faced their computers and 200 tough questions to vie for top scores based on accuracy and speed of their answers. The members of the team were:
- Daniel Burton
- Matt Shao
- Brooks Walker
- Allie Whittington
- Morgan Nance
- Lorlei Decker
- Amy Fair
- Chris Jourden
- Andrew Maples
- Coulter Harris
- Dalton Krase
- Matt Wallen
Putnam City North senior Justin Yates won first-place honors in InvestEd’s Oklahoma County competition for his paper on the stock market and other investing options. It was the second year in a row for Yates to win first place. Yates won $100 and a plaque. InvestEd in an outreach program coordinated with the University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Securities Commission.
Ying Wang, a senior at Putnam City North, has been selected as the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from the MathMovesU Middle/High School Grant Program by Raytheon Company. Dr. Brian Chastain, Putnam City North principal, will receive a matching school grant to be used for math-related equipment, materials or expenses to enhance the math program at the school.
Putnam City North graduate Clayton Nelson was named Homecoming King at Oklahoma State University. Nelson, a physiology major, is a member and treasurer of Blue Key Honor Society and vice president of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Medicine Honor Society.
Rachel Ash, Latin teacher at Putnam City High School, represented the district at the November National Foreign Language Teachers' Conference in Nashville, TN. Ash presented a workshop, "Coping with the Reading-Centered Latin Curriculum," to more than 40 Latin teachers from across the nation.
Kirk Wilson, debate coach at Putnam City High School, has been recognized with the National Forensic League's Diamond Key Award. The award goes to teachers who direct successful speech education programs in which students have earned at least 25,000 points for their accomplishments.
Kim Whaylen, first-grade teacher at Ralph Downs Elementary School, was Heartland Rotary Club Teacher of the Month for February.
Kelli Davis, an English teacher at Putnam City High School, received an Advanced Placement Materials and Equipment Grant of $4,972. In addition, the district received a $25,000 Advanced Placement English Vertical Team Grant. Both of these grants were offered through the Oklahoma State Department of Education and will help us provide more materials and professional development for teachers.