ORU Students Hold Inaugural 'Honoring Teachers Celebration'

Thursday, a few hundred Tulsa area teachers got a different kind of thanks from the ORU College of Education at the inaugural Honoring Teachers celebration.

The room was filled with teachers like Jeremiah Herbert, who stepped out of their classrooms to be honored.

"Especially at a time like this, for them to put something on this great to honor everybody from each one of the school districts, I think it's really special," Herbert said.

As districts cut funds and eliminate programs, the education field is taking a blow.

Herbert has only been teaching a year, but veteran teachers tell him there's always ups and downs - what's important is being able to hold on.

"Definitely, the faith that was integrated into my education at ORU, it plays a lot into the confidence that I have going into the future years here and really has helped me keep a calm nerve," he said.

The ORU College of Education invited hundreds of teachers - some with ties to ORU, and others that do not.

"We hear so many things that are negative about education - the funding is the pits - and we thought, we want to celebrate the teachers and what they bring to the community," said Dr. Kim Boyd with ORU.

To repay the work the teachers do, over 70 prizes were given out - including electronic tablets, teacher’s supplies and $250 in airline travel vouchers.

"I hope that it highlights our community, and how important our educators are," Boyd said.