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Scholarship Programs

We offer a variety of scholarships to support your educational goals!

  • High School Seniors: Explore our academic scholarship and the Ernst and Ruth Hawk Education Scholarship, specifically designed for those interested in a teaching career.

  • Technical Students: Pursue your technical education with the help of our dedicated scholarship program.

  • OCPS Teachers: Further your education with our scholarship for teachers seeking a postgraduate degree.

Applying is easy! All application forms can be found conveniently on this website.

Don't forget! This website also provides information for the FREA state essay contest for fifth graders.

Graduation Hat Throw

Retired Educators Foundation
of Orange County

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:

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  • 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.

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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 Florida Retired Educators Foundation nomination will also receive this one-time-only scholarship of $1,000.
 
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:

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  • 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

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FREF Local Committee Chair

Kim Stutsman

 stutsmankim85@gmail.com

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