Eight Ardmore teachers recently earned their master’s degrees from the University of Oklahoma in a unique way.
Instead of taking a test, or writing a thesis to complete their degrees, these students’ final projects were to organize community leaders, businesses and schools to address a need in their hometown.
The interdisciplinary master of arts degree with an emphasis in educational and community renewal is a two-year program that focuses on successful ways to better meet the needs of children and families through interactive, action-oriented partnerships among businesses, schools, families, universities, community organizations and governmental agencies. Throughout the two-year degree program, the students are required to research, design and implement a centerpiece renewal project that is sustainable beyond the first year.
At the graduation ceremony, Harold Brown, Ardmore, addressed his fellow students by congratulating them and then reminding them their work has just began. “Now we go straight to work applying our community renewal projects,” Brown said.
Brown’s project, B2M Ring, focused on uniting community groups to mentor and teach young boys to become civic leaders. Other centerpiece renewal projects included teaching elementary students about health, fitness and nutrition; mentoring and teaching young girls to be community leaders; offering programs that help students and families prepare and apply for college; encouraging student leadership teams through community service projects; working with educators to incorporate math and science units applicable to real world solutions and improving health care in rural schools.
In her closing remarks, graduate Amanda Walker, Ardmore, said she wanted to offer her classmates words that would inspire them to go change the world.
“But then I realized we are already doing that,” she said. “So my inspiring words are, keep going down the path you are on.”
