Earlier this semester, the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation (BPSF) awarded an Experts in Residence Grant to Richard Kane Elementary School to fund virtual community visits for all elementary school students. The grant will bolster out-of-class learning experiences for elementary students in the midst of restrictions on what schools and community leaders are able to execute.

Richard Kane Elementary faculty, including Leah Dennis, Julie Eide, and principal Tammie Krause proposed the production of virtual field trips “with the hope of bringing ‘experts’ into all the elementary schools within the district through a series of educational community videos.”

All virtual field trips can be viewed here.

Thanks to supplementary financial support from Truity Education Foundation and Phillips 66, and the BPS alumni-owned and Bartlesville-based PioneerDream Inc. Production Company providing its services at a reduced rate, the grant will result in five video field trips. The virtual visits will feature: Bartlesville Community Center, Price Tower, Woolaroc, Unity Square and events happening there, and Bartlesville Parks like Johnstone and Sooner. Students will watch the videos during class and answer discussion questions on the content.

The aforementioned Richard Kane faculty express their aspirations in the proposal, explaining that their “hope is that these virtual visits will engage students’ imagination and open the world of those students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these places in person. These videos can be shown multiple times to enhance curriculum not just during the pandemic, but for years to come.” They send their gratitude to BPSF and PioneerDream for bringing this concept to life.

Such an innovative and creative project is just one of the many things BPSF has done to enrich the opportunities available for Bartlesville students and teachers. Every year, BPSF funds approximately $50,000 in teacher grants, and in the past four years, BPSF has funded multiple major initiatives, including $300,000 for Elementary STEM, over $65,000 for PPE to safely reopen our schools in August of 2020, and $45,500 for Agriculture Education.

Community members are encouraged to contact Blair Ellis, the executive director of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation, for more information on how they can support BPSF programs. Her email is ellisb@bps-ok.org and her phone is (918) 336-8600 ext. 3523. Supporters can also directly donate at the Foundation’s website, bpsfoundation.org.

Written for the BPS Foundation by high school intern, Preston Willis