National Security Researcher Leaves Job to Teach For Free

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Like all state agencies, the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics is being forced to absorb budget cuts, but one former student is helping ease the school's burden.

OSSM is feeling the money pinch more because they were the only state agency asked to take a budget cut last year as well. The latest budget cuts put OSSM's funding 15 percent lower than last year.

The tough times are a big concern for OSSM President Edna Manning.

"I'm worried about the future of our school because the quality of the faculty is the heart of the program. Our funding is invested in people so we're talking about faculty members. We're talking about jobs," Manning said.

The troubling financial situation is part of what brought James Thrasher back to Oklahoma. Thrasher graduated from OSSM 12 years ago and was last working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory researching national security. He left the job to teach at OSSM for free.

"I just decided now was my time to chip in," Thrasher said.

Manning said he's helping to keep the school stay afloat.

"That's a whole math teacher that we just would not have if he hadn't volunteered," Manning said.

The gift has impressed students at OSSM. Jessica Oliver is a junior at OSSM and wants to become a cardiovascular surgeon.

"For him to give back to the school is really important. I hope I can do that one day with my money," Oliver said.

Thrasher insisted in a way he is getting paid.

"I was reading a study on happiness. The gist is the more you give, the happier you are. This is my experiment with that and it's been going great so far," Thrasher said.

Thrasher is recruiting his fellow graduates to also come teach for free during these tough economic times. Meanwhile some other instructors are volunteering their knowledge too by working for half pay.

OSSM was established in 1992 as a two year residential public high school for gifted students focused on science and mathematics education.

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