For 43 years, generations of students have walked through the doors of ML Lockwood’s classroom. Many of them were unsure of who they were or what they wanted to become.
But somewhere between early morning contests, shop projects and life lessons, they left with more than just agricultural skills. They left with a sense of direction, a stronger work ethic, and a little bit of the character their teacher lived out every single day.
A 1975 graduate of Roland Public Schools, the community has always been a part of Lockwood’s life.
After earning his associate’s degree from Connors State College and completing his degree in agriculture education at Oklahoma State University in 1979, he began a career that would ultimately shape not just his life, but the lives of countless students.
Raised by hardworking parents, Lockwood learned early the value of discipline and responsibility.
His mother worked as a seamstress, his father in manufacturing, and together they raised cattle and poultry, all while ensuring their son never missed school or church.
Those values carried into his classroom. “There are many advantages to being an ag instructor,” Lockwood said. “We can get out in the shop and actually do a lot of hands-on activities, which the kids love.”
That hands-on approach, combined with his belief in teaching beyond the textbook, has helped define his career. For Lockwood, agriculture education has never been just about skills—it’s about shaping character.
“Ethics, integrity and the ability to get along with other people,” he said. “That’s what I hope to instill in my students.” Over the years, he has watched both his students and the community change.
Where before many students came from rural backgrounds with hands-on experience, today’s students often walk into his classroom with less familiarity in those areas.
“They don’t have as many mechanical skills compared to students years ago,” he said. “But that allows the learning curve to go way up.”
Even after decades of teaching, Lockwood’s competitive spirit has never faded. One of his favorite memories still stands out clearly; beating Mr. Harvey from Beggs. A long-time dominant team, in a judging contest at Connors State College.
“The day we beat them in both contests was an awesome day,” he said. “I felt like I had arrived as an ag teacher.”
But for all the awards and accomplishments, including being named an outstanding alumni of the agriculture department at Oklahoma State University, Lockwood measures success in more personal ways.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is having a young person walk up to me smiling and saying, ‘Hello, Mr. Lockwood,’” he said. “Some of them, I don’t even remember their names, but to see the smile on their face means more to me.”
Family has also played a central role in his life and career.
Some of his most meaningful moments came when his own children walked through his classroom doors, and competed in agriculture programs, allowing him to experience those milestones not just as a teacher, but as a father.
Today, he proudly carries another title: grandfather.
“One of my greatest accomplishments is being a grandparent,” he said.
Outside the classroom, Lockwood finds joy in simple things: fishing, deer hunting and spending time at church.
Looking ahead to retirement in the coming months, he plans to travel with his wife and tackle long-awaited projects at home, “and specifically fish for crappie in the spring,” Lockwood said laughing.
Despite the years, one thing has remained constant, his deep appreciation for the place he calls home.
“Roland is my hometown, and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to come back and work here,” he said. “I feel that some of the finest people in the world are in Roland and Sequoyah County.”
When asked what advice he would leave behind, his answer was simple but fitting to his character.
“Be thankful for where you live, the friends that you have and enjoy the benefits of living in a small community.”
It’s a message that reflects not only his words but the life he has lived, and the legacy he leaves behind in every student he has taught.
As he prepares for retirement, one guiding principle continues to define him, just as it has since his own graduation in 1975: “He has shown thee, O man, what is good to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly,” Micah 6:8.
For Lockwood, those aren’t just words—they are a life well lived.
Now, after 43 and a half years of teaching, Lockwood is preparing to close a chapter that began in 1980, when he returned to his hometown to do the very thing he felt called to do.
“I definitely felt like agriculture education was what I was supposed to do with my life,” Lockwood said. “I believe I was called by God.”
That calling has guided him inside classrooms, into shop buildings, all over the state of Oklahoma and alongside many students, where he has quietly built a legacy rooted in faith, hard work and integrity.
Lockwood may be stepping away from the classroom soon, but the lessons he taught will continue to echo far beyond it.
Because what remains is something far greater than any award won, project built or contest completed—a legacy carried on in the lives he helped shape.
