Reading, Writing, Arithmetic And Golf
Prince George’s County Public Schools Take Fundraising To A Tee
By Ian Harmon
Generosity was served up like a beautifully hit drive off the tee during the 7th Annual Golfing for Education Tournament at Oak Creek Golf Course June 13.
The serene surroundings of the course in Upper Marlboro, MD provided The Excellence in Education Foundation for Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) the perfect setting for their fundraising event.
“We are educating the workforce of tomorrow right in our elementary, middle, and high schools. We want them prepared and we want to give them every resource and tool that they need to be successful,” said Foundation Relations Officer for the Excellence in Education Foundation, Thea Wilson.
The Excellence in Education Foundation for PGCPS was established in 2012 and created with the goal of providing resources and opportunities for area students to attain higher education.
Wilson, and many other members of Excellence in Education Foundation, have cultivated $125,000 in scholarship money for the PGCPS system (2019-2020 school year). Those funds - raised through generous donations from local and national sponsors - will go to deserving graduating seniors for scholarships spanning a wide range of studies, including technical education and culinary arts.
R. Owen Johnson Jr., foundation chair, said of those sponsors, “It means a lot that the community and those people that do business here in Prince George’s county, and that live here in Prince George’s county, want to make sure that the school system - which is vital to all that we do - is vibrant.”
This year’s fundraising efforts from the Annual Golfing for Education Tournament have pushed the total amount in awarded scholarships to over $1 million since 2013. The event has included activities such as a Sip and Swing Wine Tasting and a Hole in One contest.
Charitable giving has created scholarships and meaningful academic programs and services (such as school lunch initiatives for students of lower income families).
Donors included NAI Michael Companies, Plan Member Financial Center, National Life Group, AIG Retirement Services, Paladin Advisor Group, Hensel Phelps, Meridiam and U.S. OMNI among others.
Gary Michael is president of the global commercial real estate brokerage firm, NAI Michael. he is the 2019 Honorary Chair who helped plan the event hosted by Celebrity Master of Ceremonies, Walt “The Wizard” Williams. Williams, a former member of the NBA, also has a deep-rooted connection to PGCPS as a Crossland High School graduate. He was also the star of the University of Maryland basketball team (1988 -1992), before embarking on an NBA career that included teams such as The Sacramento Kings, The Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors among others (1992-2003).
“You have so many bright students coming from this area. [But] a lot of times they don’t get the opportunities because they don’t have organizations that they can connect with like this and that’s a shame,” Williams says. “For me, there was an athletic opportunity, but had that not been in place, there’s no way my parents would have been able to afford to send me to college. I would have certainly needed organizations like this to help me further my education,” he said.
During the event, a video presentation depicted students receiving scholarship awards and offering appreciation for The Excellence in Education Foundation. They were all smiles as they spoke of a future that is now even brighter because of the interest and investment of a community that cares.
The winner of this year’s tournament was the Sodexo Magic’s golfing team.
If you would like to donate to the Excellence in Education Foundation for PGCPS or learn more about the program, visit www.pgcps.org/foundation.
