Stillwater High School Performing Arts students have received an historic invitation to participate in one of the world’s premier street events and festivals.

The co-creator of the internationally renowned London New Year's Day Parade and a direct descendant of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill traveled to Oklahoma to deliver the special invitation in person to SHS students.

Bob Bone, Co-Founder and Chair of the London Parade & Festival, alongside event ambassador Duncan Sandys (great-grandson of Churchill), will present the official invite to the Stillwater High School Performing Arts Department. The invitation calls for the SHS Marching Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Drama Department to perform at the prestigious festival over the 2027/2028 New Year's holiday.

During their weeklong visit to London, students will take part in concert performances, theatrical presentations, the main street parade, and an educational itinerary exploring the city's historic sites, museums, and cultural landmarks.

The 2028 parade will be one of the biggest in the event’s history, which spans five decades. The annual parade features over 8,000 global performers, drawing a live street audience of 500,000 and a worldwide television audience of millions, broadcast in the United States via the PBS Network.

This will not be the first time for SHS students to participate in the parade.

“We have had the honor to participate in this spectacular event three times before,” said Director of Orchestras Scott Jackson, who has coordinated past trips for Orchestra students. “Stillwater High School Orchestra has gone to London as recently as 2023 for this wonderful festival, but this will be the first time that we take such a large contingent from across all of our amazing performing arts programs here at SHS.”

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Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA) has named Leah Dollar, a middle school STEM teacher at Stillwater Middle School, the 2026 Siegfried STEM Educator of the Year.

Dollar is one of five Oklahoma educators  TRSA recognized this year for exceptional contributions to teaching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The five finalists were selected from more than 100 applicants statewide, each with at least two years of experience, in five categories: elementary school, middle school, high school, leadership, and out-of-school time. Each finalist was honored during a surprise announcement at their school or learning space this spring, recognizing their dedication to inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders.

The finalists were celebrated at TRSA's annual Flight Night gala on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Tulsa Technology Center's Riverside Campus. Each category winner received a $5,000 award, which includes a $2,500 classroom or professional development grant and a $2,500 personal honorarium. Dollar, the middle school category winner, was named the Siegfried STEM Educator of the Year during the event and received an additional $5,000.

Dollar teaches Medical Detectives, Robotics, and Engineering to 7th graders at Stillwater Middle School and is a two-time VEX IQ Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. This past year, her students earned four Tournament Championships and four Excellence Awards in VEX IQ Robotics, and she hosted two major state tournaments. Dollar was also named both her school and district’s Teacher of the Year for 2025-26.

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FROM OKLAHOMA CAREER TECH:

How many high school students get to say they built a plane from scratch? Some Stillwater High School students will get to make that boast, thanks to an innovative Perkins grant administered through Oklahoma CareerTech.

The school district submitted a request last spring for a Perkins innovative grant to fund participation in Tango Flight Inc., a nonprofit organization created to get students interested in aviation engineering and maintenance.

Schools pay upfront for the first plane kit, said Jessica Sigle, Stillwater High School aviation teacher. When it is complete, Tango Flight sells it and provides another one to the school, she said.

The Perkins innovative grant through Oklahoma CareerTech helped Stillwater High School pay the upfront cost to participate in the program. Innovative grants help schools expand CareerTech opportunities for students, providing hands-on learning in high-need areas, said Jordan Duck, Oklahoma CareerTech federal grants compliance manager.
Students in the Stillwater High School aviation program will build the fully functioning plane from start to finish, Sigle said. Along the way, they will get two years of knowledge in building, electronics, avionics and hydraulics, putting them at an advantage for both continuing their education and finding employment, she added.
Depending on the exact number of class hours they have, she explained, they will be able to test for airframe and powerplant certification or continue their education at an aviation school or university. If they pass the placement exam, Sigle said, “they can potentially have one-third of their program completed.”

Texarkana College, which provided the Tango Flight curriculum, she said, has a six-month airframe and powerplant course.

The students have been practicing their skills in riveting, drilling and inspection and also receiving safety training while waiting for the crates to arrive. Once those have arrived, students will first inventory all the parts.
They will document each step of building the plane, signing and dating a log. The master copy will stay with the plane when it leaves, Sigle said. Sigle, who holds a doctorate in chemistry from Oklahoma State University, said is getting training in light sport aircraft mechanics. She previously taught science and aviation at Cushing High School and is part owner of S&S Aircraft in Cushing.

Students will also have a leg up in job interviews because of the skills they are learning.

And they will be helping to fill a skills gap in aviation mechanics. Aerospace is Oklahoma’s second largest and fastest growing industry, but more workers are needed to fill industry needs.

The innovative grants are awarded through funds from the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which amended the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Act of 2006. Oklahoma receives about $18.4 million every year in Perkins grant money; 15% of the pass-through dollars is set aside for reserve funds. The other 85% is allocated to schools based on a federal formula.

Oklahoma CareerTech last year expanded the innovative grant program to include smaller schools that were not previously eligible. For more information about the program, visit https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/educators/perkins/innovation-grants.html.

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Stillwater High School is proud to announce that five seniors have been named as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship:
    Suhana Bhattacharya
    Gunnar Diel
    Noah Taylor
    Wiley Wilson
    Audrey Zhang
Today, officials from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of 16,000 semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Over 1.2 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered next spring. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

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The American Red Cross urges people not to wait to make a lifesaving impact this fall by scheduling a blood donation appointment in September. The blood supply remains vulnerable after recovering from critically low levels during a summer blood shortage, and now is the time for donors of all blood types to help patients who count on blood products for care.

Reserve a spot to give now. Visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment. Those who come to give Sept. 1-20, 2026, will receive an exclusive Red Cross x Hello Kitty ^® plush mascot clip and surprise sticker pack, while supplies last! Visit RedCrossBlood.org/HelloKitty for details.

Those who come to give Sept. 21-Oct. 18, 2026, will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Fall for details. Additionally, all who come to give Sept. 21-30, 2026, at Red Cross blood donation centers and mention the word “pickleball” to Red Cross staff or volunteers onsite can score a custom Red Cross pickleball paddle and ball (limited quantities available). Visit RedCrossBlood.org/FindADonationCenter for more information.

Leave a lifesaving legacy

Even as the seasons change, the need for blood does not. The mission of the Red Cross Blood Services remains constant — and carries on today thanks to the innovation and leadership of Dr. Charles R. Drew.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Dr. Charles R. Drew's appointment as the first medical director of the Red Cross Blood Program. To commemorate his lasting contributions, the Red Cross is releasing Iconic Excellence, a short documentary exploring Drew's life and steadfast influence.

Beginning Sept. 18, the film will be available to stream on the Red Cross YouTube channel. Community members can help carry Drew's legacy forward by donating blood, encouraging others to give or hosting a screening of the documentary to inspire lifesaving action. Learn more and get started at RedCrossBlood.org/IconicExcellence.

Creek

Bristow

9/29/2026: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 226 E. 6th Street

Pawnee

Cleveland

10/8/2026: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Community Center, 211 E Wichita Ave

Payne

Stillwater

10/2/2026: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Stillwater Medical Center, 1323 W. 6th Avenue

9/22/2026: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Career Tech, 1500 W 7th Ave

9/21/2026: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stillwater Community Center, 315 West 8th Avenue

10/5/2026: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stillwater Community Center, 315 West 8th Avenue

9/20/2026: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., First Christian Church, 411 W Matthews

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass^® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Amplify your impact − volunteer! 

Another way to support the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross is to become a volunteer blood donor ambassador at Red Cross blood drives. Blood donor ambassadors help greet, check in and thank blood donors to ensure they have a positive donation experience. 

Volunteers can also serve as transportation specialists, playing a vital role in ensuring lifesaving blood products are delivered to nearby hospitals. For more information and to apply for either position, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday. 

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