President’s Working Trowel Award  2009

Thomas Purdin, president of both the McAlester Archeological Society and the Tahlequah Archaeological Society, has designed a recognition and award program for the young members of both societies.

This award is called the President’s Working Trowel Award.  A Marshalltown trowel with holster will be awarded every year to an outstanding young member in each chapter. The Marshalltown trowel is the best trowel available for archaeological excavations, so if the recipient prefers to use it in the field, rather than just as a display piece, it will give many years of service.

The guidelines for this award are as follows: 

• The recipient must be under 21 yrs of age.

• The recipient must be a member of OAS as well as the chapter giving the award.

• The recipient must also be enrolled in the certification program offered by OAS.

• The recipient must show a genuine interest in archaeology.

The goal of this program is to encourage and nurture the next generation's interest in finding, documenting, preserving and protecting our history and historical sites.

Thomas hopes there will be other young people who will become interested in archaeology and try to earn this award.

Carl Klutts: Winner of the TAS President’s Working Trowel Award

Nineteen-year-old Carl Klutts has participated in the Fort Gibson excavations and worked a survey with another of the Tahlequah members. He also helped with the 2008 Echoes of the Past festival hosted by both TAS and MAS at Arrowhead State Park.

Carl is in high school and planning on going to college for a degree in anthropology. He is going to Africa in September to work on an excavation there which will last several weeks.

Brandon Apala: winner of  the MAS President’s Working Trowel Award 

Brandon, twelve years old, has shown a real interest in archaeology. He attends every meeting and has persuaded his parents to join as well. Brandon, who enrolled in the OAS certification program, doesn't hesitate to ask questions and pays close attention to answers and instructions. He hasn’t decided yet whether he prefers historic or prehistoric archaeology.