Thirty-two eighth grade GEAR UP students from Porum recently visited The Outsiders House Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Students began the tour with an introduction to Danny Boy O’Connor at the “Curtis Brothers House.” O’Connor provided information regarding the restoration of the home while retaining the look and feel from the book and movie. Students viewed photographs, props, manuscripts, and other historically significant artifacts related to The Outsiders. One of the staff members at The Outsiders House Museum, John Beasley, explained in detail to the students on how individuals lived during that time. Students walked the neighborhood where Beasley pointed out historically significant areas such as the rumble lot. Students learned S.E. (Susie) Hinton wrote the Outsiders at the age of 15, and with determination and focus, anything is possible. Following the completion of the tour, students ate lunch at Freeway Café in Tulsa, enjoying the wonderful food and ambiance of the diner.
The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017, and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.
