Tulsa Public Schools educator named Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

A Green Country educator has won the 2023 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year award.

Traci Manuel, 10th grade advanced English II teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in the Tulsa Public School system, took home the coveted award during a ceremony Wednesday.

The teachers listed below were the other finalists for the 2023 Teacher of the Year award. Although they did not win, we congratulate each of them for the hard work that put them in the running to win such a significant award.

Marcy Boudreaux-Johnson, kindergarten-3rd grade reading intervention teacher at Prairie Vale Elementary School in the Deer Creek Public School system
Kelsee Arnold, 3rd-5th grade Gifted and Talented Teacher at Spring Creek Elementary and Aspen Creek Elementary School in the Broken Arrow Public School system
Emily Boyett, speech-language pathologist at Frontier Elementary School in the Edmond Public School system
Rob Bradshaw, 5th-8th grade orchestra instructor at Longfellow Middle School in the Norman Public School system
Julie Cryer, middle school band teacher at Jenks Middle School in the Jenks Public School system
Tenille Mehl, 4th-5th grade school counselor at Pioneer Elementary School in the Noble Public School system
Rexanne McCrary, 11th-12th grade AP language and composition teacher and virtual English teacher at Union High School in the Union Public School system
Julie Osburn, 2nd grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in the Pryor Public School system
William Peeper, 10th-12th grade history teacher at Cushing High School in the Cushing Public School system
Steven Smith, high school art teacher at Life Ready Center in the Lawton Public School system
Alona Whitebird, high school social studies teacher at Southmoore High School in the Moore Public School system