Museum Names Activities, Education Manager

Stephanie Hunter has immersed herself in not only Will Rogers’ lore but also traditions of the times of his birth and childhood on an Indian Territory ranch.

Taking on the mantle of activities and education manager of the Will Rogers Memorial Museums, she was plunged into her first big event during the Will Rogers & Wiley Post Fly-In.

“Stephanie has an energy and passion that will help us share Will Rogers with others, help us with all the events we have throughout the year. She has built a team of  ‘Hands on Historians,’ passionate volunteers that want to present life in the 19th century,” said Tad Jones, Museums’ executive director.

The Claremore-Sequoyah graduate joined the Museum staff in 2015 at the admissions desk. Wanting to know more about the Museum and Will Rogers, she participated in the Roper-docent training program — and in September, she will be sharing lead in a docent-training program with seasoned trainers.

For some time, Stephanie has been focusing on increased participation in special events, visiting other Museums and activities leaders, learning about the 19th Century from games to daily life on an isolated ranch.

She has taken classes whenever possible on meeting the everyday needs of pioneer families.

Led by Stephanie, a cadre of volunteers, including Will Rogers Roper-docents, make butter with an old fashioned churn, grind corn for bread (and chicken feed), make candles, weave and wear traditional Cherokee tear dresses.

Before officially planning activities and becoming the Museum’s educator, she and her volunteer group helped with demonstrations at the Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club picnic at the Birthplace Ranch, the Museums’ Spring Break and Frontier Days Camp and the first-ever Chuckwagon Night at the Museum.

They have been involved in the last Thursday of the month in downtown Claremore with demonstrations while promoting visits to Will Rogers Memorial.

If you have a group that would like to learn more about 19th-century life, Stephanie and her team of “Hands-on Historians” will share that experience and take you back in time.  They can also come to events or schools to make presentations. To make arrangements, call Stephanie at 918-343-8113, email at eat0@eau0eav0eaw0 or visit willrogers.com and click on “Hands-on Historians” to view.

Stephanie, married nine years to Adam, practices what she teaches. She gardens, cans, makes jelly and is the busy mother of two active youngsters, Vance and Cade, who attend Roosa Elementary.