top of page

Scholarship Programs

Learn More About Our Higher Learning Education for High School students who wish to pursue a career in teaching, technical students, and teachers who wish to pursue a post-graduate degree in education can apply for the scholarships using the forms available on this website.

Graduation Hat Throw

Retired Educators Foundation of
Orange County Florida

The leadership of Orange County Retired Educators Association (OCREA) formed a nonprofit foundation to manage funds received from the sale of property that was purchased to house retired teachers. The interest, after expenses have been paid, is used for scholarships.

 

The Foundation has identified three non-renewable types of scholarships:

  • Academic Scholarships for Orange County Public School
    (OCPS) graduating seniors

  • Technical Scholarships for students from Orange Technical College

  • Educators Scholarship for an OCPS teacher working on a graduate degree.

 

The number of scholarships given, and the dollar amount is dependent on the interest generated from the funds in the Foundation account.

Florida Retired Educators Foundation

The Foundation (FREF) is a not for profit autonomous are the FREA. It provides scholarships to high school seniors planning to become teachers, assistance for retired educators facing financial crisis, and publishes scientific works of significance that relate to education. FREF is made up of ten trustees, one from each district.

 

They manage scholarship monies, screen applications from the local units, and grant one-year renewable scholarships as monies are available to graduating high school students who plan to become teachers.

This scholarship program is managed by an OCREA Committee. It was named for Ernest and Ruth Hawk, long-time local promoters of teaching scholarships. The goal is to support young people who wish to become teachers. The recipient of the local FREF nomination will also receive this one-time-only scholarship of $2000.
 
Monies to fund the scholarship are raised from the Little Red School House donations and the sale of used books.

Ernest & Ruth Hawk
Scholarship

The FREF Foundation Board is made up of nine directors elected from OCREA membership and the current OCREA President (Ex Officio). In turn, they elect their own officers. 

REFOC Board of Directors:

​

  • David Magee, Chair

  • Cathy Thompson, Vice Chair

  • Janice Quint, Treasurer

  • Brenda Alston, Secretary

  • Christie Woods, Ex Officio

  • Cynthia Hubbard

  • Prince Kelley

  • Gwen Mercer

  • Gary Moser

  • Nancy Pelser-Borowicz

District VIII Trustee

Debra Dykes Kornhaus

 unionlady4ever@gmail.com

​

FREF Local Committee Chair

Kim Stutsman

 stutsmankim85@gmail.com

bottom of page