Latest news with #OKCPSFoundation
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Construction company displays the Oklahoma Standard by donating free roof
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A woman is getting a whole new roof for free, while a company is showing what it means to be an Oklahoman. The homeowner's original plan was to fix it one leak at a time. 'The house is old!' said Statia Rector. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma Company helps OKCPS Foundation support local students Rector said her home, in northeast Oklahoma City, was built in the 1920's. First, it was her mother's home in the 1950's. Then Rector made it hers in the late 1980's. Rector, 95, said that's the last time they put on a new roof. 'If god has given you the years, then thank him for them,' she said. Last year, she got a leak in her ceiling above her bathtub. Then, a few months ago, another appeared in the dining room. 'That's the ceiling itself that you're seeing and the split there,' she said while pointing out the spot in the ceiling. 'I just went and got a bucket.' Rector called her insurance, who found Joe Knapp with Excel Construction Group. 'When you have a leak, it's probably going to lead to a bigger problem' said Knapp. After inspecting the roof, Knapp said he'd find one issue after another. 'This roof was absolutely not up to code, multiple layers of shingles on top of rotted decking,' said Knapp. 'The water was penetrating through the shingles.' The fix is an expensive new roof. 'I had already decided I was not going to put a roof on this old house,' said Rector. 'Just fix the leaks when they happen.' Knapp talked to the company owners. They decided on a new $10,000 roof on the house, so to speak. 'I put it in the hands of the Lord,' said Rector. LOCAL NEWS: BBB warns Oklahomans of REAL ID scams as deadline approaches 'And I said, 'I guess God put me in a position to help you, so that's what we're doing,'' said Rector. Monday, Knapp's crews set to work adding new decking, new shingles, and proper ventilation. 'We're going to give her a very permanent solution,' said Knapp. The project wrapped up Monday afternoon. It was a real display of Red Dirt Readiness to help out an Oklahoman in need. 'Getting it done freely never crossed my mind,' said Rector. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
102-year-old WWII vet honored at Oklahoma State Capitol
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — He served his country with honor during WWII and now 102-year-old R.D. Lawrence, a former prisoner of war, has been honored with a medal that few Oklahomans ever get when he received the Oklahoma Cross of Valor Monday morning. 'When you get as old as I am, these things don't come easy,' Lawrence said laughing. RELATED STORY: How this Wakita, OK farmer earned France's Legion of Honor medal At 102 years young, however, Lawrence makes ordinary life look easy. The well deserved recognition for the Wakita native at the state capitol came in front of friends, family, including his three kids, and more when he received his medal. 'I didn't know my kids had that many friends,' he said. 'They all showed up.' In 2021, KFOR's Galen Culver highlighted Lawrence's time in the military after he received France's Legion of Honor medal. 'First to Africa then to Italy, Lawrence and his crew flew 37 bombing missions over Europe all with him in his unique vantage point,' Culver said at the time. 'I seen it all. We was lucky,' Lawrence said in 2021. Lawrence flew in the ball turret position in a B-17 flying fortress. He and his crew were shot down over Hungary on his 37th mission. All 10 of them survived the crash, but Lawrence was captured. As the tide of the war turned and the German's retreated, Lawrence was forced to march more than 500 miles between POW camps. Almost 80 years to the day he was liberated in May 1945, he's still going strong. It was a proud moment for his children. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma Company helps OKCPS Foundation support local students 'We're very grateful,' Lawrence's daughter Julie Gariss said standing next to her siblings, Leanna Turney and Dick Lawrence. 'I don't know that he thinks he deserves it, but he does it for everybody else that lost their lives.' 'He's my hero,' Turney said. No doubt, he's a hero to many more as well. 'This has been good and it hasn't been bad,' Lawrence said. The last time that medal was handed out was 1998. Lawrence is the last surviving member of his B-17 crew. He now lives and still does some work on his family's Wakita farm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Company helps OKCPS Foundation support local students
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Fourth graders at Mark Twain Elementary are helping each other's families fight food insecurity through a program they call 'Food Bag Fridays.' Friday they got a little boost to help them carry on. 'Chips, and fruit snacks,' said a student packing a bag. 'Look! We got those Oreo Minis!' said a little boy. LOCAL NEWS: Hundreds of metro elementary school students fitted for free shoes Every Friday, Mrs. Jennifer Reyes-Garcia's fourth grade class, at Mark Twain Elementary, files into the library to fill up bags for 'Food Bag Fridays.' 'I like to put the liquids in first. The hard stuff,' said a student. This Friday, even OKCPS Superintendent, Jamie Polk, helped out. 'Not only do they pack a bag for another fourth grade student, but one of these bags will also be theirs!' she said. 'I noticed on Monday mornings my students were coming in a little more hungrier than they were other days of the week, and they were ready to eat that breakfast and asking for a double snack,' said Mrs. Reyes-Garcia. The OKCPS Foundation said 91% of the students in the district live at or below poverty level. More than 8% of those students experienced homelessness. 'We might not have enough food to feed everybody in the family,' said a student. A $50,000 from Oklahoma company Paycom will help. A portion of the donation goes to fund projects for teachers, like Reyes-Garcia, on the Donor's Choose Program, a non-profit. 'It's the teachers themselves, the educators, that can identify the needs in the classroom,' said Kendra Horn, the OKCPS Foundation President/CEO. LOCAL NEWS: KFOR's Emily Sutton educates students at 4Warn Storm School 'Donor's Choose helps us out a lot. We get lots of food,' said Knai Charles, a 4th grader. After they finish packing they can read their favorite book. All of this is because you can't feed your brain if you can't feed your stomach. 'We're going to give our kids an equitable access to an education. And this is one way to do it,' said Reyes-Garcia. Paycom's donation will also support OKCPS Foundation's Teacher Pipeline Program, which provides free education for future teachers and administrators, and its ReadOKC program, which improves literacy and cultivates a love of reading. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
OKCPS and OKCPS Fdn announce finalists for OKCPS Teacher of the Year Award
OKLAHOMA ITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) and the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation (OKCPS Foundation) revealed nine finalists for the district's 2025 Teacher of the Year award. According to OKCPS and OKCPS Foundation, finalists are chosen for their outstanding dedication, innovation and impact in the classroom each year. The selection from the finalist group, is set to be invited to apply for OKCPS District Teacher of the Year. This year's OKCPS Teacher of the Year is set to be selected from this group of finalists with the winner announced on May 8. Oklahoma Health officials address tuberculosis concerns amid Kansas outbreak 2025 OKCPS Teacher of the Year Finalists: Jaclyn Brown – English Language Arts teacher at Southeast High School Kuwantu Cammon – Art teacher at Britton Elementary Jessica Catalano – Art teacher at Quail Creek Elementary Michele Contreras – Strings teacher at Classen SAS Middle School Faisal Madni – Physical Education teacher at Wheeler Middle School Destiny Phillips – 3rd Grade teacher at Van Buren Elementary Justine Ritter – Special Education English teacher at Emerson South Mid-High Isaiah Sharp – 5th Grade Science teacher at Southeast Middle School Erika Vasquez – Dance teacher at Classen SAS High School at Northeast 'OKCPS is a destination for excellence, attracting top-tier educators who are deeply committed to shaping the future of our scholars. These nine Teacher of the Year finalists embody the innovation, passion and leadership that define our district. Their dedication ensures that OKCPS continues to be a place where all students thrive, families choose to enroll, and educators are proud to teach. As a district, we are focused on academic achievement, student growth and postsecondary success—hallmarks of a 'First Choice' school system. These outstanding educators are driving real impact in our classrooms, directly supporting the six Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure our progress. They represent the very best of OKCPS, proving that great schools start with great teachers. We are honored to celebrate their achievements and the lasting impact they have on our students and community.' OKCPS Superintendent Dr. Jamie Polk 'Teachers are the backbone of OKCPS, and these nine finalists truly represent the best of the best. Congratulations to this year's finalists who exemplify excellence everyday in their classrooms. Their passion for education and commitment to students is inspiring, and we are thrilled to celebrate them. We are also grateful to OKCPS and our community partners, whose generosity and support make this recognition of excellence in education possible.' Kendra Horn, President & CEO of the OKCPS Foundation. The nine finalists are set to be recognized at the annual Stars of Education event, where the 2025 OKCPS Teacher of the Year will be announced, says OKCPS leaders. This year's event will take place on May 8, 2025, at The Yale Theater in Oklahoma City. The 2025 OKCPS District Teacher of the Year will also represent OKCPS in the Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year competition. For more information about Stars of Education, click Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
