Avedis Foundation hosted its 9th annual “Celebrate Educators” event on Friday, August 28 at Firelake Arena in Shawnee, welcoming nearly 2,400 educators from Pottawatomie County and public school districts from the neighboring communities of Seminole, Prague, Meeker, Chandler and Little Axe.
Avedis presents the one-day professional development event every August at no cost to public school teachers, support staff, and administrators within the Foundation’s service area as part of a countywide education initiative to recognize, inspire, and celebrate local educators.
‘Educators do far more than teach—they ignite and encourage potential, strengthen families, and directly shape the future of our communities. For nine years, this event has given us the opportunity to begin the school year by celebrating our dedicated educators and their far-reaching impact on our students,” said Avedis Foundation President and CEO Dr. Kathy Laster. “We hope the nearly 2,400 educators here today feel celebrated, energized, and confident that this community recognizes and deeply values all they do.”
As educators from 21 local districts filled the arena Friday, they enjoyed photo booths, a “mirror man,” and DJ Litebrite. The celebration also included prize giveaways, including gift cards and tech items.
A high-energy opening ceremony kicked off the program, led by a band, cheer group, and over 50 students from the public school districts of Bethel, Dale, Earlsboro, Mc-Loud, Meeker, North Rock Creek, Prague, Seminole, Tecumseh, and Varnum. Performing under the direction of Mr. Joseph Craven and Ms. Desiree Whiteman, Shawnee Public Schools, Ms. Katie Marrs, and Ms. Jacee Miller from Tecumseh Public Schools. Scout Troops #444 and #477 Color Guard, directed by Ms. Cindy White, presented the colors, while the Shawnee Public Schools Choir, under the direction of Ms. McKenzie Graves, performed the National Anthem.
Student Hosts for the event included Kaydence Staude of Meeker, Memphis Morgan and Ella Parks of Seminole, Kamora Jones, Karma Mason, Mary Beth King, and Madison Corneil of Shawnee, Maddilyn Taron of Tecumseh, and Braxton Runyan of Prague.
Celebrated author, philanthropist, and international speaker Damon West served as the event’s keynote speaker, sharing a powerful narrative of redemption and personal accountability. Once a Division I quarterback at the University of North Texas, West suffered a football career-ending injury that resulted in a struggle with addiction, which ultimately led to a 65-year sentence within the Texas prison system.
While spending more than seven years in a maximum security facility, West adopted a philosophy on faith and recovery, based on a metaphor of the coffee bean. If you boil a carrot, West explained, it becomes soft. Boiling an egg makes the egg hard. But when you subject a coffee bean to boiling water, rather than being changed by the heat and pressure of its surroundings, the coffee bean transforms the water around it. West now travels the country inspiring academic and athletic leaders to act as “coffee beans” by meeting challenges with purpose and resilience. He emphasized that our internal choices, rather than our external conditions, determine our impact on the world.
Audrey Seeliger, Avedis Foundation’s director of external relations and public events, credits much of the success of the Celebrate Educators event to its Superintendent Planning Committee. “Our superintendents worked tirelessly throughout the past year to plan this event,” she said.
“We especially thank Ms. Julie McCormick, Superintendent of Gordon Cooper Technology Center; Mr. Brad Hawkins, Superintendent of Maud Public Schools, Dr. Jason James, Superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools, Mr. Robert Kinsey, Superintendent of Tecumseh Public Schools; and Ms. Sally Thomason, Superintendent of Pleasant Grove Public Schools,” Seeliger added.
