2019 Outstanding Educator Award Winners Announced

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has announced the winners of its 2019 Oklahoma Medal for Excellence awards honoring five outstanding educators in Oklahoma’s public schools.

Each of the five winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a glass “Roots and Wings” sculpture, designed by the late Oklahoma artist Ron Roberts and produced by Tim Brown of Edmond. Medals are awarded annually to outstanding Oklahoma teachers, one each at the elementary, secondary, community college/regional university and research university levels. In addition, the foundation presents a Medal for Excellence to an exceptional administrator from the elementary or secondary level.

The 2019 Medal for Excellence winners are:

Catherine Adams, school counselor and social-emotional learning and bullying-prevention teacher, Piedmont Elementary School, Piedmont. Elementary teaching.

Michelle Churchwell, English teacher and IKE Ignition Program coordinator, Eisenhower High School, Lawton. Secondary teaching.

Dr. Rick Cobb, Superintendent, Mid-Del Public Schools. Elementary/secondary administration.

Dr. Wayne Lord, Professor of Biology and Forensic Science, University of Central Oklahoma. Regional university/community college teaching.

Dr. Keith Strevett, David Ross Boyd Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Oklahoma at Norman. Research university teaching.