With the Route 66 Centennial Celebration right around the corner in 2026, three elementary schools are starting the party early.
Wellston Elementary, Parkview Elementary in Stroud and Park Road Elementary in Chandler are all adopting a yearlong Route 66 Centennial theme for their hallways.
Wellston Principal Susan Wray said the theme is a continuation of their summer school program, done in coordination with the Lincoln County Health Department through the Lincoln County Well-Being Partnership grant. The program was also themed around Route 66, so they chose to continue the celebration to inform students of the historical events over the past century.
Teachers have selected a historical stop along Route 66 to decorate their classrooms so as students walk the halls -- now referred to as the Mother Road -- they can learn about communities and historial events along the way, Wray said.
She added that Route 66 played a crucial role in trade, migration and tourism. When the route was moved south of Wellston in 1932, it created disputes as the community feared the loss of their town. However, this resulted in the development of 66B through town, which provided access to the trading post.
“Knowing the critical roles Route 66 has played in the functioning and infrastructure of Wellston supports students in ownership and pride,” she said. “Students can understand historical events surrounding their community and hear stories from older community members to pass on to future generations.”
The school plans to incorporate the theme into yearly events such as grandparents’ breakfast, Veterans’ Day, Ag Day and classroom-specific events.
Teacher Kelly Brown said at Parkview, they started at the school office with a Welcome to Route 66, and go down the halls with the road starting in Chicago and ending in California. Decorations include the Arch in St. Louis, Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oil Man in Tulsa, Rock Cafe in Stroud, the Round Barn and Pops in Arcadia, and more.
“It has been a lot of fun working together as a staff to create a fun and educational experience right here on the Route in Stroud, OK,” she said. “With the Route 66 centennial this year, we thought it would be a great theme for our school to celebrate as well! Since we are located on the Route, it seemed so fitting for our school!”
Parkview also plans to have various activities throughout the year learning about Route 66, the history and giving students a memorable experience, Brown said. They also plan to take trips along the road in Stroud and possibly beyond.
“It is so important to teach our students about their surroundings and where they live right on the main Route of Historic Route 66,” she said.
Park Road Elementary Principal Bridget Hughey said they decided to go with the theme simply because it’s the centennial year. Each teacher chose a spot somewhere along Route 66 and decorated their portion of the hallway with that spot.
In addition to the decorations, Hughey said they’re incorporating a program to encourage kids to read.
A road will stretch down the walls, connecting the spots. Each student will have a car, and as they earn A.R. points for reading, their car will travel down Route 66 and hit all the locations. There will be a reward system for anyone who makes it all the way to the Santa Monica Pier.
“We are a small town in Oklahoma, and sometimes it makes you feel like we are invisible. Route 66 is such a wonderful part of our history, and I am excited for the students to see everyone coming to visit while they are traveling Route 66,” she said.