Bixby’s Jeree Gilman
Teachers do not enter the education field expecting to win awards. Their service to our youth is many times thankless and done without any accolades for their efforts. Bixby teacher Jeree Gilman was recently honored as the Teacher of the Year, an honor that was unexpected, but certainly a worthy honor to a worthy educator.
“I was blown away. It is a wonderful honor to be selected to represent this amazing faculty and staff at Bixby High School,” said Gilman.
Gilman started her teaching career at Will Rogers High School 29 years ago. From there she went to Edison High School, Stillwater High School and has now been at Bixby High School for nine years. Gilman teaches 10th grade honors English.
“Being an English teacher is a wonderful career. Seeing my students develop into better writers and critical thinkers is the biggest reward for me,” said Gilman.
When Gilman was in the eighth grade, she had an English teacher and a middle school principal who helped shape her idea of entering the profession.
“Donny Johnson, from Allen, Oklahoma, was instrumental in shaping who I became as an educator. He always led with love, and he showed me the importance that a teacher can have in the life of a child. It was almost 50 years ago that I was his student, but we are still friends today, and he is still the example I try to follow,” said Gilman.
In her free time, Gilman said she enjoys being a member of singing group in Tulsa.
“I sing in a Sweet Adelines group, the Talk of Tulsa Show Chorus, and in a quartet, Vocal Audacity. I am always busy rehearsing and performing with them. We sing for the Tulsa Drillers and the Tulsa Oilers games, and we sing at parties and various functions,” said Gilman.
Her message to the graduating seniors of BHS?
“Go out there and live your life. You only get one, and you don’t want to look back at yours with regrets. The world is a big, beautiful place just waiting for you to leave your mark, so take some risks and be the best you can be,” said Gilman.
