Press Release
February 24, 2026
Contact: Jessica Brogdon
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0780
[email protected]
okhistory.org/awardsbanquet
El Reno Teacher and Morrison Student to Receive Awards From Oklahoma Historical Society
OKLAHOMA CITY — An El Reno High School teacher and Morrison Public Schools student will be honored at the Oklahoma Historical Society’s annual awards banquet on Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.
Educator Becky Lockler will receive the William D. Pennington Award, which comes with $500 and a plaque of recognition.
Lockler graduated from El Reno High School in 1993, and she has taught at the school for the past 13 years. In 2019, she was recognized as the El Reno District Teacher of the Year, and in 2024, the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies selected Lockler as the State Secondary Teacher of the Year. Lockler was nominated by Jason Pennington. In addition to her everyday teaching responsibilities, Lockler volunteers for the annual Veterans Day parade in El Reno and serves on the local library and Main Street boards.
The William D. Pennington Award is presented to an outstanding social studies teacher who demonstrates effective teaching by any measure of excellence. Dr. William D. Pennington had a long academic career serving Tulsa Community College’s many campuses and Northwestern Oklahoma State University. From 2004 to 2007, he was the president of Murray State College. He became a member of the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors in 2001. He served until 2007, when he passed away.
Morrison Public Schools student Taleah Williams will receive the Joseph B. Thoburn Award, which includes $500 and a plaque of recognition.
Williams has participated in the Oklahoma National History Day program for four years and advanced to the National History Day Contest two years in a row. Her projects have focused on the accomplishments of Native people in Oklahoma. Williams was nominated by her teacher, Patty Sanders. Sanders describes Williams as being “highly motivated to learn about Oklahoma history” and as someone who “ensures those around her respect diverse cultures through encouraging an understanding of historical perspectives.”
The Joseph B. Thoburn award is presented to a secondary student who exhibits outstanding achievements in the presentation or interpretation of Oklahoma history. Dr. Thoburn was elected to the OHS Board of Directors in 1903 and, in 1908, published the first textbook on Oklahoma history adopted by the state. He worked for the OHS for fourteen years and died in 1941. Dr. Thoburn was inducted posthumously into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame in 1993.
Tickets can be purchased online. Guests are asked to RSVP by Monday, March 9. Steven W. Taylor, former chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, will be the keynote speaker. OHS Board Member T. S. Akers will serve as emcee for the event. For more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact State Historian Matthew Pearce at [email protected].
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
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