OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 17, 2004) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court will recognize Whittier Middle School in Norman and Deer Creek School District teacher Nancy Vasso at an awards presentation Wednesday [Feb. 18] at 2 p.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the State Capitol building.

As the Oklahoma Bar Association's 2003-2004 Oklahoma Supreme Court Teacher of the Year, Vasso will be recognized for her excellence in promoting citizenship skills among her students. She teaches fifth grade social studies at Prairie Vale Elementary School in Edmond. Her strategies for teaching citizenship include hands-on activities such as student-led Veterans' Day celebrations, mock elections and trials, and community research and volunteer projects such as maintenance of rural cemeteries, mailbox vandalism, and food, clothing and blood drives. Vasso has attended Programs Advancing Citizenship Education (PACE), the OBA's law-related education summer institute.

Whittier Middle School will be recognized as Oklahoma Supreme Court School of the Year for its dedication to teaching civics education as a part of its daily curriculum. Whittier's teachers have participated in several law-related education programs including PACE, peer mediation and "Project Citizen" as well as other activities designed to mold students into community leaders. Whittier Middle School principal is Sharon Dean.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Watt, other members of the court and OBA President Harry Woods Jr. of Oklahoma City will be involved in making the presentation.

Developed through the Oklahoma Bar Association's Law-Related Education Committee, the awards recognize teachers and schools that develop creative, innovative approaches and programs in citizenship education. One of the primary outreach programs of the OBA, the Law-Related Education Program has provided professional development workshops for teachers across the state. The OBA also recruits and trains lawyers for classroom presentations as well as provides law related resource materials for teachers' and students' use.

For more information about training, public speaking services or curriculum materials, contact Elizabeth K. Davis, LRE Coordinator, Oklahoma Bar Association, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City 73152, (405) 416-7024 or elizabethd@okbar.org.