This day is designed to create an awareness and understanding of the issues facing Putnam City schools and open the door to business-education partnerships.  If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact us at dfloresca@putnamcityschools.org or call 405-495-5200 ext. 1205.

1st Place:  Granite Re, Inc

Ken Whittington, Todd Dayton, Kyle McDonald & Brandon Gainer

2nd Place:  JW Oilfield

Jason Allen, Austin Stone, James Waters & Mike Bien

3rd Place:  Bank of Oklahoma

Scott Whitson, Tom Caraway, David DeLana & Jamon Herndon

1st Place (Second Flight):  Image Works

Dan Tero, David Tero, Jon McGhee & Don Fryer

1st Place (Third Flight):  C.H. Guernsey

Richard Hinkle, Kent Hanebaum, David Hedrick & Willie Schooley

Closest to the Hole:  Rick Waters (Hole #4)

Longest Drive:  Chip Taylor (Hole #13)

Congratulations to our winners and a big THANK YOU to all our supporters. 

TEAMS 2009:  American Fidelity, American Leveling, Architecture Inc., AT&T, BancFirst, Bank of Oklahoma, BMI Systems, BNJ Builders, Brett Exploration, C.H. Guernsey, Consolidated Benefits Resources, Deep Fork Grill, First Bethany Bank, Granite Re, Hall Estill/TVC Pro Driver, Hunter Mechanical, IBC Bank, Image Works, Independent Insurance Agents of Greater OKC, Insurance Agency of MidAmerica, Kysar Krew, MAC Systems, Mayfield/Western Oaks Middle Schools, Midfirst Bank, Stanley Graduate Services, Chip Taylor/Wes Milbourn Team, Tinker Federal Credit Union

HOLE SPONSORS 2009:  American Elevator, American Fidelity, Architecture Inc., Bank of Oklahoma, Bass & Assoc., Biggs Electric, BNJ Builders, Connelly Paving, Cooper Masonry, Coppermark Bank, First Bethany Bank, Globe Construction, Granite Re, Hall Estill, Homco Construction, Hunter Mechanical, Paul & Nikki Hurst, IBC Bank, Imagine If Photography,  Independent Insurance Agents of Greater OKC, Insurance Agency of MidAmerica, Johanning & Byrom, MAC Systems, Masonry Services, Metal Roof Contractors, Midlands Management, Performance Surfaces, Pope Contracting, Swiss Cleaners, Tinker Federal Credit Union, TVC Pro Driver, Union Bank, Rick & Tracy Waters

We'd also like to thank our donors:  FAA Credit Union, Glenn Floresca/NBC Bank, Haliburton Food Service, Jag Engineering, Midstate Security, Doug & Tina Winzeler.

Prizes and in-kind gifts donated by:  All in Stitches, American Fidelity, BC Clark, Cafe' Nova, Chica's Restaurant, Comfort Suites, Deep Fork Grill, Granite Re, Dave Hampton, Hyatt Place, Image Works, International Golf Discount, The Mantel, The Melting Pot, Mickey Mantle Restaurant, Spirit Bank, Dr. Pete Swan, Swiss Cleaners, Toby Keith Restaurant, and The Wedge.

The mission of this event was to increase personal power and self-esteem, to shift dangerous peer pressure to positive peer support and to eliminate the acceptability of teasing, bullying and all forms of violence. 

Jordan Glover, a freshman at PC North, said, "I enjoyed Challenge Day.  It changed many people's perspective on life."  Ryan Hall said Challenge Day was "inspiring."  "It changed lots of peoples' hearts."

Freshman vice principal Michelle Rowland said, "Challenge Day is a way for students to finally be heard and appreciated."

Students participating in the program committed to "Be the Change" at PC North.  Activities are planned throughout the year to keep the lessons learned at Challenge Day fresh in the minds of these students, creating a more comfortable environment in their school. 

Caroline Gist, executive director for Putnam City Foundation, has increased annual contributions by 480 percent since starting with the Foundation in 2000.  She has received an outstanding program award from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence for Author Visits in 2006 and for Challenge Day in 2008.  She serves on the board of Leadership OKC Alumni Association, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Northwest Chamber. 

Priscilla Cude, vice president for the Putnam City Foundation board of trustees, is the executive vice president and chief financial officer for First Bethany Bank & Trust.  She is a distinguished past president of the Bethany Kiwanis Club, and is also a Junior Achievement classroom volunteer. 

Congratulations to both of these women for being recognized as outstanding community leaders through the "Woman of the Year-50 Making a Difference."

The four day program was held at Putnam City High School on August 24-27 with over 400 freshmen and approximately 100 volunteers participating.  Many of the students committed to "Be the  Change" for their school, participating  in follow-up activities throughout the year.  There were also teen leaders each day who had participated as freshmen last year who wanted to help change the lives of their fellow Putnam City Pirates.  One teen even sang a song he wrote about how Challenge Day changed him into a better person.  

The Putnam City Foundation has hosted Challenge Day for the past two years at the high schools, and WE NEED YOUR HELP!  The cost to bring Challenge Day to the high schools is over $55,000 per year.  We welcome your donations!

Dates for Challenge Day 2009 at Putnam City North and Putnam City West are as follows:

Monday, September 14 through Thursday, September 17-Putnam City North

Monday, September 21 through Thursday, September 24-Putnam City West

If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation, please contact the Putnam City Foundation at 405-495-5200 x1205 or email dfloresca@putnamcityschools.org.

Nancee Roberson is the Oklahoma state manager for American Fidelity Assurance.  She graduated from Harding University in Searcy, AR and was the second woman to be inducted into the Harding University Sports Hall of Fame for basketball.  She will receive her MBA this December.

Nancee has lived in Oklahoma for four years.  She enjoys going to movies and hanging out with her 9-year old son, Peyton.  Peyton plays basketball, football, runs track and does Karate.  Nancee coaches his PE boys basketball team. They both love to go to and watch many different sporting events. 

We welcome Nancee to the Putnam City Foundation Board of Directors!

Sherry Fair also recently joined our board of directors.  She is currently the administrative director at City Arts Center.  Prior to her job at City Arts, Sherry was the director of communications and public relations for Oklahoma City Public Schools for nearly seven years.

Sherry's husband Mike attended D.D. Kirkland, Hefner, and Putnam City High School.  They have two daughters, Maggie and Amy.  Maggie graduated from Putnam City North High School in May 2009 and now attends Oklahoma State University.  Amy is a sophomore at PC North. 

We are pleased to welcome Sherry to our board of directors!

 
David Holt, Chief of Staff to Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, attended Putnam City schools from kindergarten through high school graduation.  His father was a Putnam City teacher for three decades, and his mother was a PTA president and education activist. 

David graduated from Putnam City North High School as a National Merit Scholar.  He received his B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University, serving as sports editor of the college paper.  During college, he served Congressman J.C. Watts and Congressman Ernest Istook. 

In 2001, David went to work for U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the U.S. Capitol, and was there during 9/11 and its immediate aftermath.  From 2002-2004, he went to work as a Special Assistant in President George W. Bush's White House Office of Legislative Affairs, advocating to the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the President.

Immediately previous to joining the City, David served as Special Assistant to Lt. Governor Mary Fallin.

David and his wife Rachel, an Oklahoma County prosecutor, have been married since 2003 and will welcome their first child in December.

We are pleased to have David join our Putnam City Foundation Board of Directors!

Todd Pauley currently serves as General Counsel and Account Executive for Sagac Public Affairs.  He offers 10 years of practical federal and state political, legislative and legal experience.  He most recently served as the Field Representative for Oklahoma 5th District Congresswoman Mary Fallin.  Prior to that he served as project manager for We Care America, senior finance representative to Oklahoma's Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Ernest Istook, and a public relations consultant to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.  He has provided fundraising, public affairs and public policy support to higher education, non-profits, political action committees, faith-based groups and numerous other political campaigns. 

Todd's diverse background also includes experiences in project management, radio promotion, marketing and sales for Sony Music, MCA Nashville and Reunion Records.

Todd holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Belmont University in Nashville, TN and received a Juris Doctor degree and a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.  He is licensed to practice law in Oklahoma. 

Todd and his wife Wendy have two children.  Son Riley in two years old and daughter Mary Kathryn will be entering the first grade at Lake Park Elementary School.

We would also like to welcome Todd Pauley to the Putnam City Foundation Board of Directors!

Information about our additional two new members, Hayley Attalla and Kelli Neuenschwander, will be coming soon!

Students in grades 3 through 5 will have books to expand their reading horizons.  Fiction books will allow students to study different authors and genres.  Non-fiction books will open the worlds of science and social studies.
Central Elementary School
Principal:  Sherri Brown
Grant Writer:  Lisa Luse

Overcoming Learning Disabilities with Computers
$900
Students with learning disabilities will use a newly purchased computer to work on activities to enhance their understanding of lesson objectives.
Ralph Downs Elementary School
Principal:  Dr. Nona Burling
Grant Writer:  Angela Kwok


Putnam City Elementary Basketball League
$4,250
All district 5th-graders in the basketball league will receive basketball jerseys and sports-related story books.  The basketball program encourages good behavior and improves academics.
Hilldale/Tulakes Elementary Schools
Principals:  Lynn Johnson/Lee Roland
Grant Writers:  Christine Clay and Brett Payne


Putnam City’s Traveling Classrooms
$2,400
This grant will purchase a laptop computer for students who are out of school for an extended period of time.  Homebound/off campus students will remain in school and graduate with the help of computerized remediation.
Putnam City Strive
Principal/Grant Writer:  Catherine Carnline

Reading with Your Ears
$1,400
This grant will provide students with audiobook players so that they can listen to repeated oral reading to improve word recognition, speed and accuracy as well as fluency.
Northridge Elementary School
Principal:  Randy Rader
Grant Writers:  Deborah West and Karie Carpenter

SMART Technology=SUPER Learning
$3,150
With a new SMART Board interactive whiteboard, teachers will integrate technology and high quality learning activities to improve students’ understanding of the course material.
Putnam City Academy
Principal:  Janet Oden, Grant Writer:  Trisha Hutcherson
.
What’s That You Say?
$900
With a REDCAT sound amplification system, students will be able to hear and focus more easily, reinforcing language development and improving literacy skills.
Rollingwood Elementary School
Principal:  Debbie Hamilton, Grant Writer:  Jana Rosenkranz


Thank you to our School Site Grants Committee:
Celine Ferguson, Chairperson
Jeff Kysar, Committee Member
Todd Pauley, Committee Member
Tiffany Haggard, Committee Member

The Foundation also honored its sixth annual Wall of Fame recipient, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.  Cornett's portrait will join former Putnam City Superintendent Leo C. Mayfield, aerobics creator Dr. Kenneth Cooper, NASA Commander Neil Woodward, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Carlan Yates, and forensic scientist Dr. Rhonda Roby. 

Mayor Cornett is a 1976 graduate of Putnam City High School.  Raised in Putnam City schools, he also attended Coronado Heights Elementary and Hefner Junior High School.  His mother was a long time elementary school teacher in the district.  While at Putnam City High School, Cornett was active in student council, honored as the most outstanding student in government, and played on the state championship golf team.  He also started dating his wife, Lisa, his sophomore year of high school and they have been together ever since.  They have raised three sons, Michael, Casey and Tristan-all have attended Putnam City schools.

Putnam City Foundation also honored this year's excellent educators; Patricia George, an alternative education teacher at Cooper Middle School and Rachel McDaniel, library media specialist at James L. Dennis Elementary.  Each teacher was presented an award of $1,000 and $500 to be used to enhance learning opportunities in their classroom. 

School site grant recipients for 2008/2009 are:

Central Elementary School ($500)-Books: A Passport to the World

Lake Park Elementary School ($1,500)-FASTT  Math...On the Fast Track to Math Fluency

Ralph Downs Elementary School ($900)-Overcoming Learning Disabilities with Computers

Hilldale/Tulakes Elementary Schools ($4,250)-Putnam City Elementary Basketball League

Putnam City Strive ($2,400)-Putnam City's Traveling Classrooms

Northridge Elementary School ($1,400)-Reading with Your Ears

Putnam City Academy ($3,150)-SMART Technology=SUPER Learning

Rollingwood Elementary School ($900)-What's That You Say?

Scholarship recipients were:

Ralph Downs Memorial Scholarship ($500)-Melissa Jill Urie-Lanman, teacher at Harvest Hills Elementary School

Roberta Jo Lowe Memorial Scholarship ($500)-Tami Richmond, a certified occupational therapist at Lake Park Elementary School

Carol Casey Memorial Scholarship ($1,500)-Jammy Salinas, a senior at Putnam City High School.

Also honored during the evening were the first recipients of the Dorothy Nixon Memorial Scholarship ($500)-Amy Kilby and Linnea Hammack, both seniors at Putnam City North. 

Plans for next year's banquet are already under way!  Please mark you calendar to attend the 22nd annual Celebration of Excellence Banquet on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

For more information about the Celebration of Excellence Banquet or to find out how you can be involved, please call (405) 495-5200 x1205 or email dfloresca@putnamcityschools.org.

The mission of the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation is to enhance and enrich educational opportunities in the Putnam City Schools.

Hilldale LMS Jeanne Fields invited Foundation representatives and donors to come to the school for a presentation by several students about what they had learned from Ms. Jackson's recent visit.  Ms. Dawson's 3rd-grade class explained their "treasure hunt" to the visitors; facts they discovered by using the index, table of contents, and text from Kay Jackson's books.  The 5th-grade students were impressed by a video presentation they watched which showed some of the adventures Ms. Jackson experienced that gave her much of the material she used when writing.  They heard the sound a prairie dog makes when communicating and learned that prairie dogs communicate with each other differently than people.  They saw some of the things Jackson saw in her underwater adventures and learned that deep down in the ocean it's very dark, and if any of the creatures that live in those dark places are made to come out of their natural environment they will die. 

The 5th-grade students presented Putnam City Foundation with a banner signed by most of the students at the school.  They thanked the Foundation for their support for author visits, explaining that being able to host authors at their school not only encourages them to read more, it might even help them in their decision for what they want to do in life.