2023 De La Salle Award: Mr. Jeff Pratt

May 23, 2023

Vice Principal and Dean of Students named 2023 De La Salle Award Winner!

The De La Salle Award is presented each year to a member of the Bishop Kelley faculty or staff who particularly exemplifies the qualities and characteristics of Saint John Baptist De La Salle, founder of the Christian Brothers and patron of all Christian teachers. 


Candidates considered for this award are known to have 

  • witnessed to Gospel values and principles and 
  • exhibited the spirit of faith and zeal characterized in the life of Saint John Baptist De La Salle. 


Mr. Pratt has been a member of the Bishop Kelley Community for over 20 years. After spending 11 years teaching middle school science and having completed his Master’s degree in Educational Administration, he was encouraged by his friend at church, who was a BK employee at the time, to apply for an open position at Bishop Kelley when the friend saw his patient and effective way of negotiating a sale with a street vendor. 


Certainly, that relational knack is still in the wheelhouse of this year’s winner as he balances care for students with simultaneously providing them clear direction in times of personal difficulty. He encourages but is not afraid to direct. 


When our President, Sister Mary Hanah Doak, RSM, recently asked Mr. Pratt what has kept him at Bishop Kelley for so long, he replied, with a gentle note of affection in his voice and visible on his face, that it is the students. As his peers on the faculty have noted, there are some students who simply can only make it through a Bishop Kelley education with his help. 


Mr. Pratt is a hallmark of stability for the school as he welcomes students in the hallways, calls them in for dress code checks, manages drug testing, navigates disciplinary situations, assists teachers, cares year-round for the plants in the STC, and wizzes past all of us on his golf cart.

 

Mr. Pratt converted to the Catholic Faith after teaching at BK for seven years and takes Saint John Baptist De La Salle as his personal model of Christian holiness. 


Anyone who is in meetings with Mr. Pratt knows that he carries his purple book of De La Salle’s Meditations ready to lead a prayer at any moment. He recently shared that he looks to Saint John Baptist De La Salle as the perfect example of a Dean of Students. Principal Jim Franz summarized Mr. Pratt's giftedness by saying, “In my thirty-five years as a Catholic school administrator, I have never worked with a Dean of Students who can balance realistic discipline, nurturing direction, and student encouragement better than Jeff Pratt.” 


Congratulations, Mr. Pratt!

Building Bridges Through Learning: How the North Tulsa Learning Center Is Transforming Lives

July 8, 2025
By Ms. Christine Tyler, Social Studies Faculty, NTLC Volunteer Adviser In the heart of North Tulsa, where vibrant community spirit meets a passion for equity, a quiet revolution in education is underway. The North Tulsa Learning Center (NTLC) is not just a place for academic tutoring—it’s a thriving hub of mentorship, empowerment, and opportunity. Founded in the 2021–2022 school year, NTLC was born from a vision shared by the sister parishes of St. Monica and St. Augustine, along with members of the Bishop Kelley High School community. These leaders came together in the spring of 2021 to confront educational disparities and respond directly to the needs of the Tulsa community. What started as a grassroots initiative has blossomed into a dynamic, student-powered program that bridges more than just achievement gaps—it bridges communities. At its core, NTLC offers free, student-led tutoring in reading and math for K–8 students, serving as a lifeline for young learners in underrepresented neighborhoods. But it’s more than tutoring; it’s a movement toward academic growth and socio-demographic equity.

BK's Ms. Christine Tyler Nominated for Lumen Christi Award

July 8, 2025
TULSA — A lifelong Tulsa educator has been nominated for the 2025-26 Lumen Christi Award presented each year by the Catholic Extension Society. Christine Tyler is a model for setting a positive tone and loving your neighbor as yourself. As a history and social studies teacher at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa — coincidentally, named after Catholic Extension Society's founder and the Diocese of Tulsa's second bishop, Francis Clement Kelley — she sees each student through the eyes of God. She is highly regarded by her students for her unwavering mentorship well beyond the classroom. But her passion doesn't stop there-it shines in her work toward North Tulsa Learning Center's mission to empower students and bridge the achievement gap among K-8 youth from north Tulsa's underrepresented areas. Tutors and volunteers at NTLC are moved by Mark 12:31 in their work for young learners: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The center launched collaboratively in 2021 between leaders from two northside parishes — St. Monica and St. Augustine — and Bishop Kelley High School to provide free tutoring in reading and math. Tyler has been instrumental in creating a more accessible program in the last few years. Since its inception, NTC hosts monthly STEM, athletics and fine arts activities with nearly 100 Bishop Kelley students contributing more than 500 hours of service annually — a testament to Tyler's role in building bridges between the school and Tulsa neighborhood communities. Her impact is also felt outside academics. She actively supports the faith by incorporating Catholic values into her teaching and playing piano at school Masses. Bishop of Tulsa David A. Konderla commended Tyler's tireless work. Read more about her work with the North Tulsa Learning Center HERE. About Catholic Extension Society: Founded in 1905, Catholic Extension Society works in solidarity with people to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities among the poor in the poorest regions of America. For more information visit www.catholicextension.org ; follow on Facebook at: facebook.com/catholicextension or on X at @CathExtension. About the Lumen Christi Award: Since its inception in 1978, the Lumen Christi Award, Catholic Extension Society’s highest honor, has been given annually to people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve. This year’s 41 nominees are individuals and institutions who lead others closer to God and transform communities. They have been nominated for this award by their bishop because their stories showcase the mission of the Church in action. Each nominee will receive $1,500 to benefit their ministry. From this group of finalists, the Lumen Christi Award honoree will be named in the fall, along with a $100,000 prize. ($50,000 to their nominating diocese and $50,000 to advance the honoree’s ministry).