Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, issued a congratulatory statement for three local students who recently were selected to the All Oklahoma Academic Team and three local students who received the OACC’s President Tuition Waiver Award.

Williams and Sen. Green, R-Wellston, attended a student award ceremony in the House Chamber last week and issued a legislative citation honoring six students. Benjamin Foster, Carley Hunter and Olivia Stevenson are recipients of the OACC’s President Tuition Waiver Award. Jami Barkimer, Abigail Ridley and Hannah Ridley were selected to the All Oklahoma Academic Team.

“This is an excellent accomplishment for these six outstanding students,” Williams said. “I commend each of them for their hard work, determination and success. All of them make the state of Oklahoma and our community very proud.”

The Oklahoma Council of Two-Year College Presidents and the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges recognize Oklahoma’s brightest two-year college students each year through the All-Oklahoma/ USA Coca Cola Academic Team.

The All-Oklahoma Academic Team provides statewide recognition to outstanding twoyear college students. Students from the 39 participating states nominated to the All-USA Academic Team are named to the All-State Academic Teams. Ranking on the All-State Academic Teams is generally determined by the student’s score in the national competition. To be eligible, students must be nominated by their college to the All-USA Academic Team. Nominees must be eligible to graduate during the 2023 academic year and hold a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 4.0 on all college-level coursework completed in the past five years. The State Academic Teams were introduced in 1994 to provide scholastic recognition to community college students, while promoting excellence at two-year colleges.

Each year Presidents of Oklahoma Community Colleges select deserving students from across the state of Oklahoma to receive a $1,000 tuition waiver, which may be applied to tuition for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic school year at $500 per semester. The President’s nominees are selected for their outstanding academic achievement and their leadership ability. Nominees must be a graduating high school senior or attend a community college. Certificates are presented to all of the tuition waiver students.

Also present was Chancellor Allison D. Garrett, the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Garrett leads a state system comprised of 25 state colleges and universities, 11 constituent agencies, one university center, and independent colleges and universities coordinated with the state system. She reports to a constitutional board whose nine members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Garrett directs 20 statewide scholarship programs including the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship program and statewide GEAR UP efforts. She was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt in November 2021 to serve a three-year term as an Oklahoma designee to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). She is the first woman to hold the position of Chancellor.