Rachel Keith serves as the English Department head and teaches Advanced Placement language and composition and humanities at Ada High School in Ada, Oklahoma. She also coaches the mock trial team. Keith serves her fellow teachers as both a member of the Guided Coalition team and as a mentor teacher. Keith believes students will thrive in any career path by building effective communication skills to elevate their professional voice.

Keith began her teaching career as a private piano instructor in Ardmore, Oklahoma, where she owned her own music studio for almost 10 years. Keith relished her students’ success, as many pursued musical endeavors after their high school graduations. When her husband accepted the pastorate of a church in northern Oklahoma, Keith sold her piano studio and took the opportunity to return to the University of Central Oklahoma and complete her Bachelor of Arts in English. Upon the advice of one of her professors, Keith pursued her alternative certification with the Oklahoma State Department of Education in 2005 and completed the requirements for a standard certificate in 2006.

Keith believes that being a public school teacher is the greatest way she can serve her fellow Oklahomans. Her story helps everyone remember that even nontraditional students can finish and thrive in their careers. She asserts that the best avenue to building strong, influential teachers is through intentional peer mentorships. She hopes to inspire both traditional and nontraditional educators to find their teacher voice and raise their impact with students and parents.