Academic All-State Award
Scholarship Sponsored by Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence
For over three decades the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has celebrated outstanding public school students and educators at its signature Academic Awards Celebration. The 2026 event is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
What the Academic Awards Celebration honors:
- Academic All-State: One hundred Oklahoma public high school graduating seniors will be named Academic All-State scholars, each receiving a $1,500 cash award.
- Medal for Excellence: Five public school educators will each receive a $5,000 cash prize and the Medal for Excellence — one recipient at each of these levels: elementary, secondary, community college/regional university, research university — plus an award for an elementary/secondary administrator.
- Outstanding Program Awards: One or more exemplary programs run by Oklahoma public school foundations will receive a $2,000 cash award (plus a trophy) each.
Since 1987 the Foundation has distributed more than $5.4 million in academic awards.
Outstanding Program Awards for School Foundations
Each year OFE recognizes innovative programs sponsored or administered by public school foundations in Oklahoma. Winners receive a trophy and a $2,000 cash award and will be honored at the Academic Awards Celebration on May 2, 2026, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Types of programs that have been recognized include, but are not limited to:
- Curriculum enhancement
- Arts integration
- Student leadership development
- Student scholarship initiatives
- Mentoring programs
- Professional development for teachers
- Public relations and fundraising efforts
Nominations and eligibility
- Anyone familiar with a foundation’s work — including foundation board members — may submit a nomination.
- Nominees must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization.
- Nominee foundations must serve elementary, secondary, or technical schools in Oklahoma.
- Only one program per foundation may be nominated.
- Foundations that receive a Program Award are not eligible to be nominated in the immediately following award cycle.
Nominations will open on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.