Academic All-State Award<\/a> in 2000. She is the first Academic All-State alumna to join the foundation\u2019s staff.<\/p>\u201cBeing named an Academic All-Stater was an incredible honor that helped instill confidence in me at a pivotal time in my life,\u201d McGhee said. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be able to be a part of a foundation that does such vital work. As a proud product of Oklahoma public schools, the opportunity to help honor public school students and educators is deeply meaningful to me.\u201d<\/p>
McGhee previously served as the creative manager for the Travel Promotion Division of the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department and is a former assistant sports editor at The Oklahoman. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.<\/p>
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence<\/a> was founded in 1985 by then U.S. Sen. David L. Boren to strengthen support for public education in Oklahoma. Through its flagship Academic Awards Program, the foundation presents $175,000 annually to honor outstanding public school students and educators. The foundation\u2019s Oklahoma School Foundations Network provides free training, resources and networking opportunities to new and established school foundations.<\/p>Among its other initiatives, the foundation partners with Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute and Fund for Teachers to provide unique and impactful professional development opportunities to Oklahoma educators. Through its statewide mentoring initiative, the foundation promotes quality youth mentoring as a positive step toward academic success.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t