Mission Statement:

To serve as a catalyst to promote excellence in Okaloosa Schools, enhancing teaching and learning through community and private sector support for special programs.

Executive Committee

Kaye McKinley, Executive Director - Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation, Inc.

President – Lisa Burkett, Partner – Extreme Etiquette

Vice President – Bernard Johnson – Gulf Power

Treasurer – Mike Anderson, Mayor – City of Fort Walton Beach

Assistant Treasurer – Bob Bennett, President – First City Bank

Secretary – Sheila Bishop, City of Niceville

Past President – Yvonne Freeman, Troy State University

Cindy Frakes – Okaloosa County School Board

Alexis Tibbetts – Superintendent, Okaloosa County School District

Board Members

Joe Brewster – Cox Communications

Debbie Buchanan – Children in Crisis

Michelle Carmical – State of Florida Public Defender’s Office

Aileen Koon – Beach Community Bank

Dottie Liufau – State Farm Insurance

Katherine McInnis – Parent Leadership Liaison

Jeff McInnis, Board Attorney

Pam Meadows – Crestview Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Mabel Jean Morrison – Retired Educator

Pam Pannasch - Realtor

Mary Lou Reed – Workforce Development

Lyndriette Rome - Society of Human Resource Managers

Steve Schutt – Baker & Lindsey Mortgage

Luann Triliegi – Fred Astaire Studios

David Wheeler – Installation Command/Eglin Air Force Base

Bill Winston – BancorpSouth

Highlights of foundation programs:

The primary focus of the Foundation is the Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program. Take Stock is a unique and innovative program that provides four-year scholarships to deserving low-income youth who are at risk of not going to college because of their families' financial situation. Sixth-grade students with good grades, good attendance, and good discipline records are invited to apply for these scholarships. Each student who is selected by the Executive Committee of the Foundation signs a contract, along with his or her parent and school principal, promising to maintain a good school record and to remain drug and crime free.  At present, there are 117 Take Stock Scholars in our District.

The Foundation serves the educational needs of the School District by establishing partnerships with schools, businesses, military, and community-based entities for grant funding of special programs and projects. Grants funded through the Foundation have included the Governor's Mentoring Initiative with the Okaloosa Academy, and the First Jobs grant program with the Workforce Development Board of Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

The Foundation continues to provide the cash awards presented annually to the Okaloosa County Teacher of the Year and Non-instructional Staff Person of the Year winners. The Foundation has also provided funding to support the Newspapers in Education Literacy Project with the Northwest Florida Daily News, providing newspapers and a special supplemental tab for every student in the County. The Focus Center was awarded Foundation funding to support educational programs for our students. A partnership with the Destin Rotary Club and the Okaloosa Applied Technology Center resulted in Foundation funding for a project entitled Technically Speaking which provided students and parents with information about workforce opportunities in our area.  Most recently, funding to the Foundation from the Boeing Foundation has supported CHOICE Aviation Institute activities and projects for students and staff.

Updated 11/30/09