OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma fifth and eighth grade teachers can apply now for fellowships to attend the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg in summer 2026.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence coordinates the selection of Oklahoma educators for the renowned teacher institute.
Held in and around the restored capital city of 18th-century Virginia, the world’s largest living history museum, the teacher institute gives educators a chance to immerse themselves in early American history.
Attendees visit with character interpreters, participate in hands-on activities and collaborate with a facilitator on developing lesson plans and interactive teaching techniques.
“This program has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this time period that I can’t wait to share with my students,” said Katherine Ethridge, a fifth grade teacher at Nicoma Park Intermediate who attended the teacher institute in 2025. “I hope to pass on the wonder and excitement that I was able to experience through this program to my students.”
To apply, educators can visit OFE.org. The deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 2.
The fellowships cover program activities, airfare, lodging and most meals. Each educator also receives a $300 stipend for classroom materials.
Oklahoma’s fifth grade teacher institute will take place May 31-June 5. It is open to fifth grade social studies/history teachers and resource teachers, such as school librarians or gifted-talented teachers, who plan to teach U.S. history in their schools in 2026-27.
Oklahoma eighth grade classroom teachers who will teach U.S. history as part of their social studies curriculum can apply for fellowships to attend the program for secondary teachers, which will be held June 7-12.
The 2026 sessions will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with the theme “Revolutionary Roots: Teaching Civic Engagement at 250.”
The fellowships are available to public and private school teachers. Participants are asked to share materials, skills and experiences with fellow teachers upon their return.
“This experience has reignited my passion for teaching history and given me tools to create meaningful, inquiry-based lessons that encourage critical thinking and empathy,” said 2025 attendee Jeannie Eutsler, a gifted-talented teacher at Dewey Elementary School. “My students will benefit from richer, more engaging content that helps them see themselves as part of a larger historical narrative.”
OFE, a nonpartisan nonprofit that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools, has coordinated Oklahoma’s participation in the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg since 1993. The program is made possible through the leadership and support of the late Oklahoma City businessman Edward C. Joullian III. Joullian was an active supporter and former board member of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and an OFE trustee. Joullian’s family, along with a group of loyal donors, continues to support the fellowship program, which has served 1,225 Oklahoma teachers since 1993.
