Pryor Middle School Counselor Kristy Ross recently brought history to life for our 8th graders by sharing her powerful firsthand experience riding her bike along the 950-mile Trail of Tears as part of the Cherokee Nation team Remember the Ride.
She rolled into the classroom with her bike and introduced herself in the Cherokee language—an unforgettable moment that immediately captured students’ attention. Through storytelling, Ross helped students connect local and national history to culture, resilience, and lived experience.
During one class period, Cherokee Nation member Christy Hamlin, an 8th-grade paraprofessional, also shared stories passed down from her elders, who settled in Arkansas along the trail.
Storytelling is a powerful way of sharing culture and history.
