Published: May 19, 2008 05:23 pm      

Ada legacy speaks at AHS graduation

An Ada City Schools legacy returns as commencement speaker for the 102nd graduating class of Ada High Tuesday, May 20, at the Ada Cougar Activity Center.

Bronson Warren, currently Dean of Students and Enrollment Management at East Central University, was the last in a 66-year tenure of the Warren family in Ada City Schools, helming the band to 14 state sweepstakes awards, band’s equivalent of an OSSAA state championship.

Born and raised in Ada, Bronson Warren attended Washington Elementary, Ada Junior High, and graduated from Ada High in 1973. He received his bachelors degree from ECU in 1977 and his Masters degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1982.

Warren was the assistant director of bands at Moore High School for three years prior to his 22-year career as director of bands at AHS.

Under Warren’s direction, often over his famous bullhorn, the Ada High School Band consistently received superior ratings at Regional Marching and District Concert Band Contest. The Ada Band earned the Oklahoma State Music Sweepstakes Award 14 times and was twice selected as an Honor Group for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Convention.

The Marching Cougars were awarded the Grand Championship Trophy at O.B.A. Marching Band Contest four times. The band also earned many superior and first place honors at invitational contests in Colorado, Texas and Kansas.

Personal awards for Warren include Teacher of the Year in the Ada School System as well as a top 10 nominee for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year in 1994.

In 1990 and 1999 he was presented the Citation of Excellence award by the National Band Association. Also, in 1991 Warren was selected as Oklahoma

Bandmaster of the Year.

In 2003 the man fondly referred as “Big Daddy” to his legion of former Marching Cougars, was inducted into the Oklahoma Bandmasters Hall of Fame.

Warren was twice President of the East Central Band Directors Association, President of the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association in 1988, and the Band Vice-President of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association in 1994-95. He has been a faculty member at numerous summer band camps and has judged and conducted band clinics throughout Oklahoma.

Warren is currently the Dean of Students and Enrollment Management at East Central University,

The legacy began in 1936 when his father, Hugh Warren, began the 66-year tenure of the Warren family teaching in Ada City Schools. Hugh Warren was hired as the basketball coach and athletic director. He was the first coach at Ada High to win a state championship with his basketball team in 1940.

Bronson Warren’s mother, Mattie Warren, began her 40-year career at Ada High in 1944 teaching accounting, business, and shorthand. Upon her retirement in 1985 she was selected to be a member of Ada City Schools’ Teacher Hall of Fame.

Dr. Allene Warren, Bronson’s wife, began her teaching career in Ada in 1980 at Washington Elementary, moved over to Ada Junior High and directed the Ada High Marching Band Colorguard. She left AJH in 1996 and is presently the director of the Early Childhood Education, Student Teaching and Field Experiences at ECU.

Their children, Heidi and Bron, are graduates of Ada High and were drum majors for the band. Bronson’s uncle and aunt, legendary football coach Elvan George and his wife Grace were also teachers at Ada High before their teaching careers began at ECU.

Currently, Bronson’s cousin, Suzanna Bulman-Coyle, is a teacher at AJH.

Continuing the tradition, Warren is the proud grandfather of his first grandson, Jaxon Warren Sivils.

The Ada High graduation has taken place annually since 1907, the same year Oklahoma was inducted into statehood. The first class graduated April 22, 1907, making this the 102nd overall. Class sizes have risen since that initial year from seven graduates to this year’s class of 170 seniors.

The festivities will start early with the awards ceremony for the seniors on Monday, May 19, 7 p.m. in the ACAC.

On Tuesday afternoon there will be a rehearsal walk for the seniors at 1 p.m.

For graduation, the doors to the ACAC will open at 7 p.m. to allow friends and family to get seats. There will be no tickets this year, and the seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis within the gym portion of the ACAC.

However, there will be a simultaneous video cast provided in the auditorium.