Passing the Torch, Lighting the way

Greenvale Elementary looked different by the end of the day. Its safe room now bloomed with color from fresh murals. A book pantry stood ready for students to trade stories. The cafeteria shined with new school spirit. And tucked in the back halls, the teacher lounge had a renewed sense of calm.

But more than that, something deeper had shifted. Something that couldn’t be painted on walls or stacked on shelves.

“This is what it’s all about,” said Ashley Monterrosa, president of the Oklahoma Aspiring Educators Association (OAEA). “Meeting the needs of a school however we can and showing them that people care. That their work matters. That they’re not alone.”

Ashley, a senior at East Central University, led this year’s Outreach to Teach event, a full day of volunteerism and school improvement planned entirely by OAEA student members. Each year, a school is chosen for a transformation rooted in service and solidarity. This year, Greenvale Elementary in Western Heights was selected.

Throughout the day, future educators read to students, painted murals, helped beautify common spaces, and gave new life to quiet corners of the building.

“We wanted to bring joy to the staff and students,” said Monterrosa. “Something small that says, ‘You’re seen.’”

For Ashley, this final Outreach to Teach as president was both a celebration and a farewell. Her term with OAEA is ending, but her legacy of optimism and connection will ripple through the association for years.

Delaney Santos, president-elect of OAEA and a student at Northeastern State University, has been by Ashley’s side throughout the year. She sees Ashley’s leadership as the gold standard.

“Ashley’s optimism is truly second to none,” Delaney said. “She leads with genuine care and consistently lifts others up. She reminded me that leadership isn’t just about guiding people, but about empowering them.”

Sabra Tucker, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association, was also pitching in at Greenvale. For her, Outreach to Teach was more than service, it was connection across generations.

“We know how important a passion for teaching is, and we are so excited to see the new generation of teachers,” Sabra said. “We get to be an inspiration and a bridge still in our retirement years.”

Sabra’s words highlight a truth that underscores the entire mission of OAEA, OEA, and OREA: that teaching is a continuum. Today’s aspiring educators are tomorrow’s classroom leaders. And today’s retirees, with their years of wisdom, have lessons to offer.

It’s a lesson Delaney carries with her as she prepares to lead. She believes the most impactful thing OEA members can do is simply show up—to be mentors, allies, and encouragers.

“By embracing OAEA members as future colleagues and leaders, OEA members help ensure that the next generation of educators enters the field feeling confident, supported, and ready to thrive.”

That feeling of support was everywhere at Greenvale Elementary. In the gentle way students read to kindergarteners, in the thoughtful design of murals, in the laughter during clean-up, and in the quiet satisfaction on volunteers’ faces as the day wrapped.

Dr. Tia Blanchard, professor of education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a new OAEA advisor, said the day brought back memories of her own classroom years.

“I got to read to the students, help paint, and even paint rocks,” she said. “It took me back. Being in the room with kids, seeing their excitement—that’s the heart of education.”

She hopes the students of Greenvale saw what the volunteers came to show: “That there are people across the state who care deeply about their success.”

Back at the Capitol earlier this year, Delaney reflected on her journey through OAEA—from local chapter member to chapter president, then state secretary, vice president, and now incoming president.

“There are no words that fully capture what this experience has meant to me,” she said. “I’ve found a genuine sense of belonging. OAEA helped me find my voice, my confidence, and ultimately, my place in education.”

Her plans for the presidency are as bold as they are hopeful.

“I want to strengthen the sense of community across campuses and at the state level,” Delaney said. “I want every aspiring educator in Oklahoma to know that they have a voice, that they belong, and that they are a vital part of the conversation.”

Her vision includes building stronger connections between chapters, encouraging political and professional engagement, and helping members feel equipped to advocate for their profession.

“There is incredible strength in collective action,” she said. “OAEA provides an amazing space to build that strength.”

She credits OAEA with sparking her passion for education policy and advocacy. She also sees the organization as a launchpad—not just for future teachers, but for future leaders.

“I want our members to feel confident standing up for themselves, for their students, and for public education,” she said. “We can’t afford to stay silent. We need to speak up.”

Ashley agrees, and she hopes her year at the helm of OAEA will remind members that joy and service are not just compatible with leadership—they’re essential to it.

“OAEA is the place where future teachers find each other,” she said. “Where we grow, challenge ourselves, and realize that we’re not just preparing to teach—we’re preparing to lead.”

And as paintbrushes were cleaned, ladders folded, and the final mural detail added, it was clear the future of Oklahoma education doesn’t begin later. It’s already here, carried in by the voices and actions of the next generation of educators who are already showing up, speaking out, and stepping in to serve.