FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        April 2, 2008

OVERTON RECEIVES MARTIN-DaVINCI SCHOLARSHIP

            Stefani Overton of Knowles, a junior elementary education major at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, was awarded a scholarship from the DaVinci Institute, Oklahoma’s Creativity Think Tank, at a banquet March 28.

Stefani Overton displays the certificate she received for being named a MartinDaVinci Scholar. She is a junior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

            Overton is one of six Oklahoma students designated as Martin/DaVinci Scholars for 2008. The award was made possible by a donation from the Martin Family Trust established by June Scarborough Martin and her husband Karl.

            The award is restricted to pre-service teachers whose academic accomplishments and service to their university are deemed most notable. Applicants are required to submit a proposal for a service learning project to be completed in a familiar community such as a neighborhood or school.

            Service learning is a pedagogy that utilizes interdisciplinary/cross curricular teaching to involve students in community service to meet instructional objectives of courses.

            Overton’s proposal concerned making improvements at Beaver State Park by seventh and eighth grade students. It included repairing and painting park equipment, cleaning camp grounds and sweeping sidewalks, among other tasks. She tied the project to the social studies, science and language arts curriculum using Oklahoma PASS (Priority Academic Student Skills).

            Each of the Martin/DaVinci Scholars will receive a $3,000 cash award in September of their first year of teaching.

            A graduate of Beaver High School, Overton is active at Northwestern in Student Oklahoma Education Association, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors, Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, Cardinal Key Honor Society and Spanish Club.

            She is the daughter of Marci and Thomas Overton.

-NW-

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