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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=olive face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:olive'>FYI,</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=olive face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:olive'> Cindy</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;color:navy;font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dayna Rowe</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Communications Specialist</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Oklahoma</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Foundation for Excellence</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>120 N. Robinson, </span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Ste. 1420</span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>-</span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>W</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Oklahoma City</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, </span></font><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>OK</span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>73102</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Phone (405) 236-0006 - FAX (405) 236-8590</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;color:navy;font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;color:navy;font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:bold'>OKLAHOMA</span></font></b><b><font
size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:bold'> FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE SEEKING NOMINATIONS</span></font></b></p>
<h1><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman"'>FOR 2006 ACADEMIC ALL-STATE SCHOLARS,
OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS</span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>EMBARGOED FOR SUNDAY, SEPT. 25, 2005
</span></font></u><font size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> CONTACT:
Brenda Wheelock</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>
Communications
Director</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>
<font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font>(405) 236-0006</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<h2><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:normal'>
</span></font></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal'>OKLAHOMA CITY</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:normal'> – The Oklahoma
Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit organization that recognizes and
encourages academic excellence in </span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:normal'>Oklahoma</span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:
normal'>’s public schools, is seeking nominations for its 2006 Academic
Awards Program. </span></font></h2>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Scholarships
and awards totaling $191,500 will be presented at the foundation’s 20<sup>th
</sup>annual Academic Awards Banquet </span></font><font
size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>May 20, 2006</span></font><font
size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>, in </span></font><font
size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Tulsa</span></font><font
size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>. The event, which is
attended by nearly 1,000 state education supporters, is broadcast statewide on
public television. The 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary banquet will feature a
special keynote address by David L. Boren, founder and chairman of the Oklahoma
Foundation for Excellence.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoBodyTextIndent><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>“We
know that education is the best investment our society can make for the
future,” Boren said. “If we make all of the right policy decisions
in every other area but fail to adequately educate the next generation, we will
imperil the future of our society. By working together to give outstanding
students and educators the recognition they deserve, we send a strong message
to our state and to the nation that Oklahomans value academic excellence.”</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>
Nomination forms are available on the foundation’s web site at <a
href="http://www.ofe.org/">www.ofe.org</a>. Nominations are being accepted in
the following categories:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>1.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font></b><b><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>Academic All-State</span></font></b><font
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'>, which
honors 100 public high school seniors with a $1,500 scholarship. Students
must be nominated by their superintendents or principals. Schools are
encouraged to nominate all eligible students. To qualify, students must meet at
least one of the following requirements: a composite ACT score of at least 30;
a combined SAT critical reading and math score of at least 1350; or be selected
as a semi-finalist for a National Merit, National Achievement or National
Hispanic Scholarship.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>2. The
Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in Teaching and Administration</span></font></b><font
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'>, which
honors four educators (a public school elementary, secondary, and
college/university teacher and an elementary/secondary administrator) with a
$7,500 cash award and a glass sculpture. In addition, the school, department or
school system of these four award winners will be presented a $1,000 cash
award. Both individuals and schools are eligible to nominate educators
for these awards. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>3.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font></b><b><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>The </span></font></b><b><font
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:
bold'>Oklahoma</span></font></b><b><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'> Medal for Excellence in
Alternative Education,</span></font></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'> which honors the public school
alternative education program judged to be the most effective. The
winning program receives $7,500 and a glass sculpture. Any person
familiar with the program is eligible to make the nomination.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.25in;line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>All
Medal for Excellence nominations must be postmarked by Nov. 28, while Academic
All-State nominations must be postmarked by Dec. 2. <font color=black><span
style='color:black'>Scholarship and award recipients are chosen by an
independent selection committee,<b><span style='font-weight:bold'> </span></b>chaired
by Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian P. Opala and comprised of business,
education and civic leaders, as well as former All-Staters and Medal for
Excellence winners. </span></font>Since 1987, the Oklahoma Foundation for
Excellence has awarded $2.1 million in scholarships and presented <font
color=black><span style='color:black'>an additional $680,000 in Medal for
Excellence Awards. In addition, the foundation has awarded $24,000 to
Medal for Excellence recipients’ schools or school districts.</span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.25in;line-height:150%'><font size=2
color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;color:black'>For more information, visit the foundation’s web site
at <a href="http://www.ofe.org/">www.ofe.org</a> or call (405) 236-0006.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-indent:.25in;
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style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;color:black'>###</span></font></p>
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