Jason Collington
Tulsa World Editor
The idea was to do a short video with a simple goal: Get students to become teachers.
But before long, Kelly Kerr, a former Tulsa World staff photographer and an award-winning multimedia producer at Oklahoma State University, found out there was a bigger story to tell.
After he collected interviews with teachers across the state and filmed what was happening in today’s classrooms, a new goal was created: a full-length documentary.
The Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences will debut “Educating Oklahoma: Keeping the Promise of Public Education” at 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29, during a special screening premiere at the Student Union Theater on the Stillwater campus.
First-year teacher Anna Perry is featured in the documentary “Educating Oklahoma: Keeping the Promise of Public Education” as she taught first grade at Aspen Creek Elementary School in Broken Arrow.
The event is free and open to the public. The documentary will stream at InsideOSU.com beginning Sept. 5.
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The hourlong documentary highlights the value of teachers and the work they do.
“The feeling you will get is that Oklahoma teachers are giving everything they got,” Kerr said. “That is what I came away with. There was not one teacher who wasn’t giving 110%. It’s incredible.”
Kerr said offering a full view of what is happening inside schools can’t come at a more important time.
“It is a tough time to be in education,” Kerr said. “What is so interesting is I started over two years ago on this. Now education is even more in the news cycle than when I started.”
What Kerr knows for sure is that the education system in Oklahoma is not broken.
“What is true is that every school district in the state is different,” he said. “They each have their own needs and personalities, and they should be addressed that way. If you try to do blanket decisions, you are going to do someone a disservice.”
Traci Manuel, the 2023 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year who taught at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, is featured in the documentary “Educating Oklahoma: Keeping the Promise of Public Education.”
Kerr interviewed more than 50 individuals, including teachers, administrators and legislators. Appearing in the film: Traci Manuel, the 2023 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year who taught at Booker T. Washington High School; Jenks Superintendent Stacey Butterfield; and Sarah Vann, who has won multiple national teaching awards in her career at Owasso Public Schools.
In the documentary, Kerr followed first-year teacher Anna Perry as she taught first grade at Aspen Creek Elementary School in Broken Arrow.
He also featured the Tulsa World’s projects reporter Andrea Eger, who has covered public education for more than two decades.
The film goes through the history of public education in Oklahoma and discusses mental health, school safety and nutrition.
“It captures the resilience and dedication of teachers amidst challenging circumstances, with a compelling narrative that sheds light on the profound impact of education in shaping lives and celebrates the unsung heroes impacting the future of Oklahoma’s youth,” said CEHS dean Jon Pedersen.
The documentary “Educating Oklahoma: Keeping the Promise of Public Education” will stream at InsideOSU.com beginning Sept. 5.
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