March Newsletter
Happy Arts Education Month! March is arts month for all arts disciplines as it is:
- Dance in Our Schools Month
- Theatre in Our Schools Month
- Music in Our Schools Month
- Youth Arts Month
As you work in your school and district, be sure to consult your professional organization (NDEO, EdTA, NAfME, NAEA) for ideas on how to celebrate and highlight arts education throughout the month.
Pictured above: Ada High School performing at the March 6, 2025 Youth Arts Day Capitol celebration. Additional performances pictured below.
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In the Middle of the West: The Oklahoma City Bombing Project
April 19th marks the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, a day that changed the nation forever. For the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Oklahoma City University commissioned award-winning playwright and Director of Performing Arts Programmes at Northumbria University, Steve Gilroy, to create a verbatim production of the incident (In the Middle of the West). Verbatim theatre uses the exact words spoken by real-life people in interviews.
U.K playwright Steve Gilroy will be visiting Oklahoma the week of April 14, 2025, in conjunction with the 30th anniversary. Mr. Gilroy is working with Oklahoma City University students to perform sections of the play. The students and Mr. Gilroy will be visiting school sites across Oklahoma to share vignettes from the play, talk about the documentary theatre process, how the process worked with the Oklahoma City Bombing, etc. Theatre/speech teachers and students are welcome to attend a presentation, depending on your schedule. Attending teachers will also receive a printed copy of the In the Middle of the West teacher resource guide (which will also be available online in April).
The tour sites are:
- April 15, 8-10 a.m. - Yukon High School, Black Box Theatre
- April 15 -- p.m. - Putnam City West High School (time TBD)
- April 16, 9-11 a.m. - Tulsa Edison Prep High School
- April 16, 12:30-2:30 p.m. - Sapulpa High School
If you would like to attend a tour presentation, please contact Elizabeth Maughan to register. The presentation is free, but all groups must register to ensure seating.
 The Oklahoma State Department of Education is pleased to join with the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education, the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Arts Council for the 34th Annual Oklahoma Education Awards for Arts Excellence. It is important to recognize outstanding school board members, school administrators, and fine arts educators for their leadership and support of quality arts education and academic excellence in Oklahoma schools. In addition, we recognize and honor selected juniors and seniors who have excelled in their art forms (voice, instrumental, piano, dance, drama/theatre, and visual art).
Applications will be adjudicated in March, and all applicants will be notified of their status (awarded or not awarded) by March 31.
The 2025 Awards Ceremony will be held on April 22, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Masonic Center (900 E Oklahoma Ave, Guthrie, OK 73044).
Questions? Contact Elizabeth Maughan, fine arts project manager.
In mid-November, the State Textbook Committee reviewed and finalized recommendations from the HQIM review committees. Approved fine arts instructional materials have been placed on the state textbook list, and districts should begin reviewing their options. Districts may begin purchasing materials after July 1, 2025.
Questions? Contact Carolynn Bristow, HQIM project manager, or Elizabeth Maughan, fine arts project manager.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is offering an evening webinar series on Artificial Intelligence (AI) during this spring semester. These one-hour sessions are designed to help educators understand how to effectively integrate AI into their teaching practices and classroom activities with a focus on practical strategies and tools that can enhance learning experiences. Each session runs from 6:00–7:00 p.m.
To participate, you can register for individual sessions using the links provided below.
 The Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall and OKC Broadway are excited to announce the return of the Kelli O'Hara Awards for the 2024-25 school year! This is a free program for high schools in the central and western regions of the state that recognizes excellence in Oklahoma high school musical theatre. The program honors outstanding students and teachers dedicated to the performing arts in schools. The winners for Best Actress and Actor will receive professional training and compete in the National High School Theatre Awards, showcasing their talents to a national audience.
The Awards have created three new categories for student recognition this year:
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Student Reporter Search – highlights the importance of journalism, film and other related departments.
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Outstanding Student Design – celebrating the young aspiring designers and artists. Submitting a piece to be considered for the 2024/2025 Kelli O’Hara Awards t-shirt design.
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Stagecraft Award of Excellence – welcomes students involved in technical aspects of productions to submit their work.
Please contact Matthew Herdman (kelliawards@okcbroadway.com) for more information about the Awards.
Online registration for the Oklahoma Student Art Exhibition (OSAE) open! This FREE program, offered by the Oklahoma State Fair, provides the opportunity for Oklahoma art students, from pre-K through 12th grade, to have their art judged by prominent Oklahoma artists with the top 1,000 pieces displayed for thousands of people to view during the Oklahoma State Fair in September. In addition, $6,500 in cash and Hobby Lobby gift cards will be awarded to Oklahoma school art programs.
To make it easier for schools, there will be five district locations for take-in and judging. Sites include Ada, Duncan, Enid, Oklahoma City & Tulsa. Go to https://okstatefair.com/competitions/oklahoma-student-art-exhibition/ to find the guidelines & registration link, when available. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity for your students!
The United States Navy’s newest submarine, the USS OKLAHOMA SSN 802, is set to join the fleet in 2027, carrying the proud legacy of our great state across the world’s oceans. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Oklahomans have been invited to design the official USS OKLAHOMA SSN 802 Challenge Coin, a symbol of honor and service that will be presented to sponsors, crew members, and distinguished guests.
The competition is open to Oklahomans high school age (current 9th grade) and older. Designs should capture the spirit of the newest submarine's namesake - OKLAHOMA, its history, and rich heritage while honoring submariners and their contributions to national security and global peace.
Visit the USS OKLAHOMA SNN 802 site for details about submission requirements. All entries must be submitted by July 4, 2025.
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March: Youth Arts Month (OAEA)
April: Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute
May: Edmond Public Schools
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