34 Oklahoma Educators Selected For Teacher Institute At Colonial Williamsburg In Virginia

Thirty-four teachers from Oklahoma are headed to Virginia this summer after being selected for a teacher institute at Colonial Williamsburg.

A fourth-generation teacher from Eisenhower International School in Tulsa was chosen to go. She says she’s still hungry to learn more about American History after decades in the classroom.

It's all about the Revolutionary War in Jennifer Kelly's class. Fifth grader Lola San Juan is preparing for a presentation on the secret soldier.

"Usually men would fight in the war and she joined the war even though she was a woman," San Juan said.

Students like Lola are learning a lot from a teacher who's been in the classroom for 27 years.

"Working on the American Revolution, working on the Declaration of Independence, I've gotten even more excited about it because they bring information to me that they also want to learn more about," Ms. Kelly said.

Despite all her experience, Ms. Kelly is always looking to learn more, that's why she recently applied for and was accepted into, the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute this summer. It's an all-expenses paid trip for educators to learn more about America's history.

For an entire week, teachers like Ms. Kelly will be immersed in the daily life of 18th-century Virginia, an experience that gives teachers a unique view of history they can bring back to their students.

For Kelly, it will be a return to a place she visited as a kid.

"I remember everything about little pieces of it that you can from age six, and I really want to learn more so I can enrich and bring back information here," Kelly said.

She'll join 33 teachers from Oklahoma also going this summer on a trip that she hopes will benefit her future pupils.

"I can't wait to see what it'll look like for my next year fifth graders who I have now as fourth graders," says Kelly.

Until then, students in today's class are learning from a teacher passionate about seeing that light bulb moment.