Black History Month Assembly at Tulsa's Burroughs Elementary Ends With $100,000 Surprise Gift

An assembly at Burroughs Elementary in Tulsa to honor educators during Black History Month took an unexpected turn on Friday morning, when a nonprofit announced a $100,000 gift to the school.

Teachers and students had gathered in the school gymnasium for the event, which was intended to recognize teachers committed to their students. The surprise came when representatives of DonorsChoose took the podium.

"DonorsChoose is excited to announce that we are donating $100,000 to Burroughs Elementary," said Ryan Jones of the organization. DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that lets teachers across the country request the supplies and resources they need for their classrooms.

Principal Dee Tisdale told 2 News she had known about the gift for some time and struggled to keep it to herself. She said that seeing the excitement of the children and the teachers was "the icing on the cake."

The announcement came during a month that recognizes the role Black educators have played in shaping both Black history and American history, a point that holds particularly true in Tulsa Public Schools. Burroughs Elementary was the first school in Tulsa to fully integrate, and it currently serves a majority Black student population.

Dr. Ebony Johnson, superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools, said she was glad to see the school honored. "The school has rich history. In Tulsa, we have so much amazing history, and I am glad we are honoring one of our elementary schools that is a pillar in our community," she said. Johnson added that she was thrilled to see an investment in future leaders and educators.

Tisdale explained what the money is expected to change. She has told her teachers that the district does a good job of providing what the school needs, while DonorsChoose "is going to give us what we want." The gift gives teachers a chance to obtain additional and innovative supplies to enrich students' education.

In Tisdale's view, the funds will let teachers extend their day-to-day activities. "What this is going to mean to them is the extension of the day-to-day activities because now the teachers will have the resources to continue with the projects they have in mind," she said.

DonorsChoose representatives said that through the donation they hope not only to honor the past but also to invest hope in a more equitable future.