Tulsa Honor Academy will prepare each scholar for the rigors of high school, college, and beyond. We operate with the belief that all scholars, regardless of background or income, can achieve at a high level. Through strong academics and a focus on character, our scholars will achieve excellence. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that 100% of our scholars go to and graduate from college.
1421 S. Sheridan Road Tulsa, OK 74112
Mr. Andrew Birt is a second year educator from the Greater Boston Area teaching 7th grade Social Studies at Tulsa Honor Academy Flores Middle School. Mr. Birt is a graduate from the University of South Carolina with degrees in History and Political Science. Mr. Birt began his career in education with elementary school, working as a Playworks Coach in the Boston Public Schools for two years. Mr. Birt is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because of the opportunity to serve some of Tulsa’s brightest scholars. Mr. Birt is a life-long Boston Celtics fan.
Deonia DeLouiser born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a Physical Education Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Langston University and received her degree in Bachelors of Science and Arts Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Ms. DeLouiser is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she believes learning each day helps discover new ideas, and contribute to the family in a meaningful way.
Ms. Eppard is originally from Cloquet, MN but raised in Mancos, CO and is an ELD teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO and received her degree in elementary education. She received a minor certificate to teach English as a second language. She taught 5th grade in CO right after college for the remainder of the school year. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because the values of the school align with her personal values.
Ms. Samuels was born in Houston, Texas but grew up in Tulsa. She is a middle school art teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. Ms. Samuels is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and received her bachelor's in General Studies with a double minor in Studio Art. She recently moved from Dallas where she worked at a Montessori school as an assistant teacher and taught some art classes. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she wants every student to discover their creativity and truly believe that they are an artist capable of creating beautiful masterpieces.
Mrs. Jeffords is originally from Somerset, Kentucky and is the 7th Grade ELA teacher at THA Flores Middle School. She is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University where she studied Secondary English Education and received a major in General Studies and a minor in English. Mrs. Jeffords is an AmeriCorps ATEAM alum where she served full time as an in class reading and math tutor at both the elementary and high school levels. She joins us in Tulsa with Teach For America and is excited for her second year teaching here at Tulsa Honor Academy where she can be part of the THA Familia.
Ms. Modaff is a Tulsa native and the Social Studies Teacher for 6th and 8th grade at THA Flores Middle School. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University in 2021, with a degree in History with a focus on United States History .Ms. Modaff has worked with youth in some capacity for over 10 years. It wasn’t until she started back to university in 2018 that she realized she was meant to be a teacher (as most of the patrons of comedy clubs didn’t understand her history jokes). Ms. Modaff particularly enjoys learning more about the history of Tulsa, Route 66, and Oklahoma. She Is excited to begin her second year with the THA Familia so that she can continue to contribute to the community of East Tulsa in an impactful and meaningful way.
Ms. Mueller is originally from Joplin, MO and is the 6th Grade Math Teacher at THA Flores Middle School. She is an alumna of The University of Tulsa, where she earned a degree in mathematics. One of her greatest joys is scholars realizing they have the skills and understanding to solve problems and conquer challenges. She is excited to return for her second year at THA because of the school's unwavering standards for excellence.
Chrissy Parker is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a Student Supports Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Langston University and received her degree in agriculture business. She has taught at the elementary and middle school levels for 4 years. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because we value our students and families and support each other to get the best.
Mr. Russell is originally from Tulsa, OK and is a Math Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of University of Oklahoma and received his degree in Psychology with a minor in History. He is excited to be part of the THA Familia because he wants to make a positive impact on scholars and teach them about the importance of mathematics in our everyday lives.
Miss Rebekah Applegate is a Tulsa native and is the 10th grade ELA teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate from Oral Roberts University where she received her BA in Youth Ministry in 2020. After graduating, Miss Applegate spent a year of service with City Year Tulsa. Before coming to THA, Miss Applegate taught middle school social studies in Tulsa Public Schools. She is so excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she gets to continue to support student success while joining a supportive and equitable community.
Mr. Bonaparte is originally from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist and Crown College. He received master degrees in General Education and specialized in Curriculum Development. He brings more than fifteen years of teaching experience to the THA Familia. He is excited to teach and motivate scholars within THA.
Josh Cirbo is originally from Thornton Colorado and is a Physical Education Teacher at THA High School. He is a graduate of Metro State University and received his degree in K-12 Physical Education. This is his second year at THA and will be his second year of teaching as well. He will also coach the basketball team for THA this year. He is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because of the culture and the commitment to success of the scholars and teachers.
Mr. Freudenheim began his teaching career in 2009 in Tulsa with Teach For America's inaugural Tulsa Corps where he taught middle school science. He subsequently attended the University of Tulsa College of Law, graduating with highest honors, and practiced law as a litigator for several years. He earned his undergraduate degree from Emory University, majoring in French Literature and Sociology. While in college, Mr. Freudenheim was also a competitive policy debater and studied abroad at the University of Paris. Mr. Freudenheim returns to the classroom to teach a rigorous literature curriculum.
Originally from Calvillo Aguascalientes, México and is a Teacher Apprentice & Ballet Folklorico Coach at Tulsa Honor Academy. She graduated from TCC and received AUA Certification in the medical field. She joined Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca in 2010 and has been part of numerous competitions and participations including Wonders of México El Espectáculo. She is excited to be part of the THA Familia because she believes that her Hispanic Culture in Folklore should be passed down to new generations and not be left in the past. Hispanic generations should know the meaning of their roots, their history and expressing culture through dance is a great way to teach scholars.
Evelyn Gutierrez Moore is originally from Yabucoa, Puerto Rico and is an ELD Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She graduated of Ana G. Mendez University, Dallas Campus and received her Business Administration degree in Management. As a Bilingual professional, she has the honor to help the Spanish community with English/ Spanish translation, has worked with outreach, volunteer work, has and continue to assist with English tutoring and has experience building strong relationship within the Spanish community. She is excited to be part of the THA Familia because THA thrives to help scholars achieve their dreams and inspire each scholar to be successful.
Blake Kruithof was born in Tulsa, but moved to Perkins, Oklahoma in middle school. Perkins is a small town, just 10 minutes away from Stillwater, home of the Cowboys. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with a minor in Philosophy and a certification in Secondary Education. Before coming to THA, he taught Geometry and Algebra 2 at Stillwater High School. Mr. Kruithof's taught 8th grade Algebra 1 and Honors Geometry at THA's middle school for 2 years. He is now teaching pre-calculus and AP calculus at THA High School.
Ms. Lenardson is originally from Jackson, Michigan and is the U.S. Government & AP Government teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Ashford University and received her degree in Social Sciences and Education. Ms. Lenardson was selected as the James Madison Fellow for Oklahoma in 2020 and as a fellow will complete her master's degree in American History and Government in 2023. She is excited to be part of the THA Familia because she loves new challenges and adventures and thrives in an atmosphere devoted to high standards, community, and acceptance.
Dr. Sailaja Mandalapu is originally from India. She graduated from Periyar University with a master’s degree in Biochemistry and later received her PhD in Biochemistry from Georg August University, Goettingen in Germany. She moved to the U.S. and continued her work in research as a postdoc at Rutgers University in NJ and Delaware State University. She has worked in various fields of research like Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Developmental Biology & Neuroscience. After 12 years in research, she decided to change her career and focus on teaching. She worked at Delaware Technical Community College as an adjunct Biology instructor before joining THA. She is in her second year of teaching at THA and is very happy to be part of it.
Ms. Mayorga is originally from Los Angeles and is the World History Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She graduated from UCSD with a B.A in Political Science. Along with researching International and American politics, she has also studied gender and race theory. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she believes in the potential of each and every one of our students.
Mr. Mvula is originally from Lusaka, Zambia and is the mathematics teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of LeMoyne-Owen College and received his degree in Mathematics. Mr. Mvula has been teaching, and tutoring for over 4 years. He is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because teaching is a form of giving back to the community and THA's mission and vision.
Lauren Parker is originally from Sapulpa, Oklahoma and is an English Language Arts Teacher at THA. She received her Master’s in English Literature from the University of Central Oklahoma specializing in 20th and 21st Century Literature. She has been an English Instructor at Tulsa Community college since 2017. She is thrilled to join the THA Familia and share her love for the magic of words.
Ms. Pass is originally from Tulsa and is the U.S. History teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and received her bachelor's degree in Psychology. Ms. Pass has also taught Chemistry. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia to help push each and every scholar to their highest potential.
Bonnie Patocka was born and raised in the panhandle of Oklahoma on a wheat farm near Guymon. She began her career working in telecommunications for Rockwell International in Dallas, Texas. She transitioned to teaching and worked for TPS at Edison High School and Tulsa Community College. After her children were grown, she taught at private schools, homeschool co-ops, and private tutoring. She began teaching for Tulsa Honor Academy in the fall of 2018.
Ms. Patocka graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater in 1988 with a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Mr. Reyes is originally from Colima, Mexico and is a Spanish Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of the University of Colima and received his degree in Foreign Languages.
Mr. Rocha is originally from Miami, Florida and is a High School PLTW Computer Science Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of Northeastern State University where he received his degree in Computer Science. Mr. Rocha worked as a Software Engineer for 20 years where he specialized in Web Application Security and Database Administration. Mr. Rocha is eager to start this year to help high school students discover their potential and their hidden computing talents.
Ms. Roper is originally from Tulsa, OK and is the AP Psychology/ Speech and Debate teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy High School. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and received her degree in Psychology. Ms. Roper took 2 years of American Sign Language and loves to learn about the deaf community. Most importantly, she is passionate about psychology and is interested in learning more from people and their experiences. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because they offer great principles for their students and lead them towards the path of success.
Mrs. Kimberly Siftar is excited to be teaching Chemistry/AP Chemistry at Tulsa Honor Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. She earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Oklahoma State University and her master's degree in Teaching from Texas Woman's University. Mrs. Siftar began her career in Recruiting where she worked in both corporate and agency roles before transitioning into education. She joined Tulsa Honor Academy in 2019 and has taught Physics and Chemistry during her tenure. Mrs. Siftar was Tulsa Honor Academy's Teacher of the Year in 2021. She has a passion for Chemistry and STEM education and is excited to continue working with scholars and families this school year!
Mr. Sparrow is an Ohio native who grew up as a missionary kid in Quito, Ecuador, and is the 11th grade ELA teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of Taylor University and received his degree in English Writing and Psychology. Mr. Sparrow has taught and coached for 23 years on three different continents, and most recently served as the Athletic Director at Mingo Valley Christian School. He is thrilled to be a part of the THA Familia because he has a passion to help students develop a love of language, learning, and life. If you spend five minutes with him, you're bound to hear something about his four beloved children.
Ms. Swinford is originally from Central New York and is the Art Teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and earned a bachelor's degree with double majors in Fine Arts and Chemistry. Ms. Swinford has over 30 years experience working in the educational field as a teacher, coach and executive director. She has also worked as a full time artist, having her work displayed at art shows around the country. She is thrilled to be part of the THA Familia and to share her love of art with the scholars while helping them grow as artists and creative thinkers.
Joi Toliver is originally from Los Angeles, California but calls Coffeyville, KS home. She is a Student Supports Teacher for Tulsa Honor Academy. Ms. Toliver is a graduate of Howard University and received her bachelor's degree in Speech Communications with a minor in Human Development. She has worked as an educator for the last 18 years and is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she loves to be a conduit for positive change for young people. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in Social Work because Ms. Toliver plans to become a therapist "when she grows up". :-)
Katie Triplett is originally from Catoosa, Oklahoma and is the music teacher at Tulsa Honor Academy High School. She is a graduate of The University of Tulsa where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with a minor in Spanish. Katie has been teaching private music lessons for over a decade, and regularly performs jazz and popular music in the Tulsa area. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because of the strong, heartfelt commitment to our scholars.
Mrs. Hernandez is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and graduated from Tulsa Technology Center as Certified Nurse Assistant. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia as an Operations Coordinator.
Vanessa Hernandez is originally from Tulsa, Ok and is a Teacher Apprentice at Tulsa Honor Academy. She is a graduate of Tulsa Technology Center and received her Certification in Legal Office. She is currently working to earn her associate's degree at Tulsa Community College in Spanish and then will continue her education to receive her bachelor's degree in Spanish Education. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she sets an example for scholars to reach their ultimate goal to graduate and become someone successful in life.
Jennifer Moreno is originally from Pensacola, Florida but raised in Reserve, Louisiana. She is a Operations Coordinator at Tulsa Honor Academy High School. She graduated from East Central High School and is currently attending Tulsa Community College seeking her associate's degree in Business Administration. She loves spending her time directing youth at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, which is where she discovered her passion for advising and working with adolescents. She also is part of the Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca and likes to dance in her free time. She is grateful to be part of the Tulsa Honor Academy Familia and looks forward to continue working for our scholars and their families.
Ms. Rector is originally from Tulsa and is a Behavior Interventionist at Tulsa Honor Academy High School. She is currently enrolled at NSU and will receive a bachelor's in Business Administration and minor in Psychology. She is excited to be a part of the THA Familia because she loves to make a difference and impact in the lives of families and in the community.
Dorian Bennett is from Denver Colorado and is the Assistant Principal of Culture. He is a graduate of University of Phoenix where he received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and Master of Arts in Educational Studies. Dorian has over 8 years of experience working in the education arena as a Dean of Students, Dean of Culture and Head of School. He is committed to contributing to student and staff success by leading by example and being a positive charge for all. Dorian will assist with the success of all community members using the acronym A-U-T-O, as he will go Around-Under-Through-Over for Tulsa Honor Academy. He is excited to be a member of the Tulsa Honor Academy Familia.
Mrs. Kruithof is originally from Carson, California and is the Assistant Principal of Operations at Tulsa Honor Academy High School. She is a graduate of The George Washington University and received her bachelor's in Mathematics. She received her Master of Education with a focus in Mathematic Education. Mrs. Kruithof has 6 years of teaching experience.
Mr. Veach is originally from St. Louis, MO and is the High School Principal at Tulsa Honor Academy. He is a graduate of Norwich University and received his master's degree in Executive Leadership. Mr. Veach is excited to be a part of the THA Familia and assist our High School scholars as they prepare to enter college.
