Student journalists producing yearlong Route 66 storytelling highlighting Oklahoma’s history, culture, and community voices through a national partnership.
TULSA, OK, UNITED STATES, February 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The TCC Connection, the award-winning student-published newspaper at Tulsa Community College, has launched a yearlong editorial project honoring the centennial of Route 66, America’s iconic “Mother Road.”
Throughout the year, student journalists will publish stories highlighting the art, attractions, food, history, and people that define Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66. The project invites travelers and Route 66 enthusiasts to explore the roadway through student-reported storytelling that blends heritage, culture, and community.
The Route 66 project webpage features welcome statements from Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, and other civic leaders who recognize Tulsa’s role as the Route 66 Capital of the World. Tulsa’s historic connection to Route 66 dates back to Cyrus Avery, a Tulsa native widely regarded as the “Father of Route 66”.
Tulsa Community College’s Metro Campus sits alongside Route 66, giving students a direct geographic and historical connection to the roadway they are covering. Through their reporting, students explore how Route 66 helped shape America’s early highway system and why it continues to attract global interest.
“When we undertook this assignment to begin writing about Route 66, I was excited about the idea of telling the stories of the iconic road,” said Sam Levrault, Route 66 student project coordinator and former managing editor.
Student coverage includes stories on what to see, what to taste, and what to experience along Route 66, offering readers insight into the history, culture, and lasting appeal of the Mother Road.
“The newspaper staff has added the opportunity to write about the centennial of Route 66 to its regular responsibilities of covering news that involves or relates specifically to the college community,” said Chrys Melissinos, managing editor. “This is a great way to connect with our current audiences and reach new readers.”
The Route 66 project has been presented to Tulsa Community College leadership and will be presented to the full Board of Regents, both of which have expressed support for the endeavor.
“We are collaborating with the English department to provide additional creative content in the form of essays, poetry, and other prose,” said Dr. Jerry Goodwin, associate professor of mass communication and faculty adviser. “We look forward to publishing this content in the near future.”
As part of its expanded outreach, the TCC Connection is partnering with Tulsa Flyer/The Oklahoma Eagle to cross-promote Route 66 coverage and reach broader local, national, and international audiences.
“The partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and The Oklahoma Eagle with the TCC Connection will strengthen our coverage and honor the shared history of Route 66,” said Gary Lee, executive editor of the Tulsa Flyer and The Oklahoma Eagle. “The coverage will bring our audiences deeper, more comprehensive storytelling by amplifying its stories, people, and enduring impact. Route 66 belongs to all of us, and by partnering together, we’re able to tell its centennial story with greater depth, reach, and a combined community voice.”
The Tulsa Flyer is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to community-centered journalism that informs and empowers Tulsans, while The Oklahoma Eagle is one of the nation’s historic Black newspapers, founded in Tulsa’s Greenwood District and serving readers for more than a century.
Community members are invited to suggest future story ideas related to Route 66’s Oklahoma corridor by contacting contact@tccconnection.com.
For more information, see TCC Connection web and Route 66 project web
About TCC Connection
The mission of the TCC Connection, as a voice of the student body, is to be a leader in excellence among two-year college newspapers by offering a journalistic laboratory for students. The TCC Connection exists to unite Tulsa Community College by providing a reliable, informative, and engaging channel of communication for students, faculty, staff, and administration. For more information, visit www.tccconnection.com.
About Tulsa Community College
The mission of Tulsa Community College is building success through education. The college’s vision is to support an educated, employed, and thriving community. Its beliefs and values are You Belong Here, Everyone Can Learn, Community Unites Us, Quality Education Is Affordable, and Excellence Is Our Culture. For more information, visit www.tulsacc.edu.
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