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Marathon Oil Selects 30 Innovative Educators as Winners in Grant Program

March, 2023

As part of Marathon Oil’s investment in building stronger communities through education, our “Unconventional Thinking in Teaching” program awards grants to innovative teachers in the areas where we operate. After receiving more than 80 applications, we traveled throughout our operating areas to surprise 30 outstanding educators with a $2,500 grant.

Mona Littrell, at Tuttle Early Childhood Centers in Oklahoma, used her grant funds to provide more hands-on experience and manipulative centers for her young students.

At Marathon Oil, unconventional thinking means looking for new ways to solve problems and deliver results. Through this grant program, Marathon Oil supports teachers who are bringing this same unconventional thinking to the classroom. We hope to increase teacher retention by supporting the people responsible for developing our next generation of leaders, or unconventional thinkers.

As a part of our strategic focus on creating strong communities by ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all, we know that teachers are on the frontlines for developing the next generation of unconventional thinkers. We want to not only challenge teachers to be innovative in their approaches in the classroom but also reward them for their hard work and passion. Teachers are integral to the communities where we live and work.

— Lee Tillman, Marathon Oil Chairman, President and CEO

Teachers in Marathon Oil’s operating areas applied or were nominated by members of their community. Entries were judged blindly by a panel of Marathon Oil employees based on the applicant’s or nominee’s demonstration of unconventional thinking, alignment with Marathon Oil’s values – to collaborate, take ownership, be bold, and deliver results – and commitment to ensuring inclusive and equitable education for all students.

Jennifer Slatton, one of our winners from South Texas used her grant funds to purchase a colorful sound wall, reading games, flexible seating and light covers. She knows that an innovative learning environment brings out the best in her students.

Each winner received a $2,500 grant from Marathon Oil to support the purchase of classroom resources, such as books, activity and lab materials, technology, or personal professional development, allowing them to not only impact their current students, but all students who they will teach in their classrooms throughout their careers.

This year’s winners show that inclusive and equitable education looks different in every classroom. We saw teachers who are focusing on the long-term academic and social impacts of their students living through a pandemic. Across the board, every winner focuses on what their specific students need and is finding the best and most innovative ways for them to succeed in school and beyond.

— Lee Tillman, Marathon Oil chairman, president and CEO

Dive deeper to learn more about each of our winners and their innovative ideas.