25 Anniversary logo
Join us in celebrating 25 years as an independent agency. On June 11, 1993, then Gov. David Walters signed Senate Bill 356, establishing the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Its passage was evidence of the state of Oklahoma’s commitment to provide more effective consumer responsive services for its citizens with disabilities. DRS was established to serve many of the major programs important to the disability community including Rehabilitation Services, Visual Services, Oklahoma School for the Blind, Oklahoma School for the Deaf and the Disability Determination Services.

OSD to graduate eight on May 22

Eight photos of OSD graduating seniors

SULPHUR – Eight seniors from Oklahoma School for the Deaf will graduate in a commencement ceremony set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, in the OSD gym, at 1100 East Oklahoma Street in Sulphur.

The OSD 2019 graduating class valedictorian was Ezra Hart and the salutatorian was Haden Denney.

The class includes Denney of Midwest City, Dylan Dickson of Shawnee, Dylan Evans of Sulphur, Hart of Ada, Braiden Hilton of Keota, Brandyn Mieritz of McAlester, Miracle Pearson of Midwest City and Rosalinda Reyes of Oklahoma City.

Three School for the Blind students will compete in national Braille Challenge®

3 smiling young people

MUSKOGEE, Okla. – Three Oklahoma School for the Blind champions will represent the state in the national Braille Challenge® competition in Los Angeles this summer.

The finalists are: Katelynn Zampella, Richelle Zampella, both from Muskogee, and Hunter Kelley from Claremore.

The OSB students were selected based on their scores in the Oklahoma Regional Braille Challenge® held at OSB in March. Braille students in grades one through 12 participated at the regional level.

Go back in time with us with this classic press release - meet Julie Hildebrand



This media release was originally released on Dec. 22, 2014. DRS has been empowering Oklahomans for 25 years.


Disability does not define super-achieving Tulsa law school graduate

Hildebrand dons her graduation cap.

TULSA, Okla. ─ Julie Hildebrand graduated Friday (Dec. 19) with a 3.48 grade point average after only two years at the University of Tulsa law school.

The pretty, 24-year old Jenks resident has already accepted a contingent job offer at Occidental Petroleum in Houston.

Hildebrand is among the brightest graduates – she calls herself a nerd -- but she won’t be the tallest student.

Hildebrand has a rare form of dwarfism called 3M syndrome.

School for the Blind students to volunteer for community service day May 1

Young man watches young woman pour pancake batter from a pitcher

MUSKOGEE, Okla. – Fifty-six Oklahoma School for the Blind students will volunteer May 1 for the school’s
annual “OSB Gives Back Day.”

Following a panel discussion about the importance of volunteering, four groups of students and sponsors will head out from 9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.to locations around Muskogee.

Some students will pop in to do random acts of kindness at the Muskogee police department and fire stations.

A fifth group will assist with projects on the OSB campus.

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