Liberty Chats
Steamboat Institute has launched Liberty Chats, a bi-weekly, 15-minute podcast. The Liberty Chats podcast features interviews with a variety of experts, leaders, journalists, and policymakers on the importance of our nation’s founding principles and the importance of limited government. Guests will include sitting members of Congress, White House press reporters, think tank leaders, entertainers, political strategists and more! Liberty Chats is produced by members of Steamboat Institute’s Emerging Leaders Council (ELC), a network of students and young professionals who are leaders on campuses and in communities across America. They represent the next generation of pro-founding principles, free-market, and free speech leaders and are proud to stand up for these values. Subscribe to “Liberty Chats” wherever you get your podcasts to get automatic downloads of our episodes every two weeks.
Liberty Chats
Liberty Chats, Season 2, Episode 3: Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Superintendent
Host Gabe Woolley, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council interviews Oklahoma State Superintendent, Ryan Walters. In a 15 minute excerpt of an hour long discussion, Gabe sits down with Ryan and talks about the major aspects of Oklahoma and American education.
Ryan Walters taught eight years as a high school history teacher in his hometown at McAlester High School (MHS). During his time at MHS, Walters taught Advanced Placement (AP) courses in World History, U.S. History and U.S. Government. He also taught on-level history classes, special education classes and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) named Walters as an Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016. He is passionate about the students of Oklahoma and advocating for their immediate and long-term success.
In September 2020, Governor Kevin Stitt named Walters as Secretary of Public Education. As Secretary of Education, he was responsible for various agencies, boards, and commissions, including the State Board of Education, College and University Boards of Regents or Trustees, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and the State Board of Career and Technology Education.
Walters taught AP U.S. History at Millwood High School and McAlester High School. He is empowering teachers, parents and community leaders to improve Oklahoma’s education system for all students and previously served as Executive Director of Oklahoma Achieves, an education initiative of the State Chamber of Oklahoma that sought to get the business community more actively engaged in education.
He is a lifelong advocate of improving Oklahoma’s education system and helping every student reach their full potential.
A loving husband to his wife Katie, Walters has four children — Violet (6), Ella (4), Benjamin (2) and newborn Samuel.
To watch the full interview with Ryan and Gabe, go to https://youtu.be/vz4xsA20O6o?si=_AVNnpkp-NHvqtqd
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