America's Heart: It's the People
Written by: Libby Brands, ACE 13
When it was announced that I would be an ACE teacher in Tulsa, OK, I had to grab a map. My ignorance about Tulsa was not solely reserved to geography; apparently competing about who recycles and rides their bike more is not a common conversation here as it is where I was raised in the Northwest. Yet today, and much to my father's dismay, I still find myself in the place I swore I would leave on that first week in August of 2006 when I walked from my ACE apartment with broken air conditioning to the grocery store two miles away in the 110 degree heat.
On the drive between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, there is a sign with a picture of Oklahoma that reads "America's Corner." I have never understood how this moniker makes sense. The analogy seems less than flattering, especially considering the reckless generosity displayed by members of the Tulsa community. The Catholic community in Tulsa has proven that they deserve a nickname that is much more fitting: if people knew our story, they would replace the sign with one that reads "America's Heart."
The support of benefactors in the city is humbling. Donors and foundations contribute over $800,000 in financial aid each year for students to attend Catholic schools. Local groups have been formed whose sole purpose is to ensure that the operational costs of the most under-resourced schools are met, and they have acted to ensure that no Catholic school will close as a result of financial need. These same, zealous supporters of Catholic education in Tulsa successfully lobbied Notre Dame for the return of ACE teachers to the city after a several year hiatus.
For a state that is only 7% Catholic, the Catholic school population is disproportionately successful and decorated. A third of the Catholic schools in Tulsa have achieved Blue Ribbon Awards from the U.S. Department of Education. Catholic schools in Tulsa have won the State Academic Bowl tournament each of the last three years. Our sports teams are well represented in State playoffs and Championships, and our students go on to the best Universities in the country.
There is only one reason to brave a place that marks its year with ice storms, heat waves, tornadoes, and wind: it is the people. There is a profound sense of grit in this state, a sense that we will fight back, stand tall, and be proud. Nowhere is this more evident than in Tulsa's Catholic schools.
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