About Orange County Education Foundation

Vision

To promote the value of education, engage the Community and inspire innovation that will enhance educational and advancement opportunities for the teachers and students of the Orange County Public Schools, Grymes Memorial School and Germanna Community College.

Mission

As an independent but complimentary organization to the entire Orange County School and college system, invest in and support Orange County, Virginia’s educational and business success by building and maintaining a robust and ongoing community partnership among our schools, teachers, students, administrators, families, businesses, governing bodies, supporting Regional Foundations and organizations.

Goals and Programs

• To make the OCEF website the central organizing system for all OCEF programs allowing students, families and teachers to research and apply directly, through the website, to all OCEF scholarship and grant programs
• To continue to support and expand the OCEF as a permanent, financially stable but independent Scholarship, CTE and Teacher Innovation Grant awarding organization to support continuing education through our Orange County Public Schools, Grymes Memorial and Germanna Community College.
• To carefully coordinate our scholarship, CTE, Teacher Innovation Grant (TIG) and associated supporting programs with OC public schools, Grymes Memorial and Germanna Community College.
• To build, support and expand our Donor Endowments through communication, recognition and involvement in our OCEF programs
• To continue to build and expand our Scholarship program through a carefully managed and organized program involving parents, students, teachers and school administrators.
• To expand our OCEF Teacher Innovation Grants program by involving all OC teachers and administration, at the elementary, middle, high school and college levels at our OC schools, Grymes Memorial and Germanna Community College.
• To expand OCEF support for CTE education, licenses and related technical education.
• To seek new donors and supporters for all our scholarship, CTE and grant programs
• To showcase the positive accomplishments of students, teachers and others who have received scholarship, grant or CTE support from the OCEF.
• To coordinate directly with the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) to maximize Return On Investments for all our Accounts and to take advantage of all CACF fundraising opportunities.
• To coordinate, directly, with all associated Orange County Business, Historical, business development and educational Foundations and organizations
• To obtain support from state and national educational departments and foundations with similar objectives and goals
• To drive community collaboration and build meaningful relationships with all associated Orange County businesses
• To develop and implement a plan that focuses on creating awareness of the OCEF and its mission, vision, goals and programs
• To seek ongoing funding for the day to day operations of the OCEF

History

Orange County Grade School – 1946

During the 1992-1993 academic year, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce organized a group of business people and educators for the purpose of building a closer partnership in support of education in our community. The group focused on Orange County’s public schools, its private schools and higher education. It was called the Business & Education Alliance (BEA) and its motto was: “Building Bridges Between our Business Community and our Educational Community.” The BEA proceeded to create career day programs, guest speaker rosters, and business shadowing opportunities and internships for students and teachers. As the program evolved, the partner organizations felt that a fundraising mechanism would be needed to sustain the programs they were creating. A vision for an education foundation emerged from their discussions.

Three key members of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors convinced their fellow Board members that a foundation could have long-lasting benefits for the youth, the education systems and the businesses of our community. The three key Board members included: Ray Hugo of Virginia Power; Sean Gregg, Attorney, and Bill Carrington, Headmaster of Grymes Memorial School. Mr. Hugo was Chamber President, Mr. Gregg was the Chamber’s legal counsel, and Mr. Carrington chaired the BEA. In 1994, the Chamber Board approved the creation of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation. Its mission was to serve all students and education facilities in Orange County.

The Orange County School Board also established its own Orange County Education Foundation in 1994 on behalf of just the Orange County Public Schools. By 1996, however, the two Foundations merged into what we now call the Orange County Education Foundation. While it retained the name of the organization established by the School Board, it was built on the article of incorporation and by-laws that governed the Chamber’s foundation. Therefore today’s Orange County Education Foundation continues to serve the needs of Grymes Memorial School, Germanna Community College and all of Orange County’s public schools.