For three decades, McKinney Education Foundation staffers have dedicated themselves to offering opportunities to McKinney ISD students and staff.
Originally formed to streamline scholarships in the McKinney community, the McKinney Education Foundation helps provide scholarships for graduating seniors, grants for teachers and staff, and a college advisor placement to offer guidance in navigating the college and scholarship application process for each of McKinney’s three high schools.
Historically, the McKinney High School junior class parents raised money for the graduating seniors. Since this method varied in results, McKinney leaders in the late 1980s decided on a solution: the McKinney Education Foundation. In 1991, the McKinney Education Foundation was founded on scholarship distribution. An early goal was to support all graduating seniors of McKinney High School because that was the only high school at the time. As McKinney grew, foundation leaders quickly realized they wouldn't be able to meet that goal.
In 2004, to assist even more students than the McKinney Education Foundation could assist with scholarships, the College Advisor Program was created.
The McKinney Education Foundation manages more than 100 endowments. These endowments help support graduating senior scholarships, McKinney ISD staff grants and the College Advisor Program.
The Class of 2022 received $585,000 total in scholarship money to support post-secondary opportunities, including four-year, two-year, and vocation/technical certifications and training.
McKinney ISD classroom grants help enhance learning and professional development grants allow teachers and staff more educational opportunities outside the classroom. Each McKinney ISD high school is assigned a college advisor. The advisors work full-time to make sure students have access to higher education opportunities. Advisors work with students to match scholarships and navigate college and federal/state grant applications. The advisors also host multiple parent information nights annually.
“The foundation’s most impactful program is the College Advisor Program,” says Ashley Sine, McKinney Education Foundation executive director. “The college advisors make higher education possible for so many McKinney ISD students every year. With our college advisors’ help, the Class of 2022 accepted more than $22 million in outside scholarship dollars, not including foundation scholarships or government grants.”
McKinney Education Foundation is annually supported by the McKinney community. To help commemorate its 30 years, the McKinney Education Foundation will host a 30th Anniversary Gala on Nov. 12 at the Hyatt Regency in Frisco. Special guests are Laura W. Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush. Sponsorships and silent auction donations are available.
For gala tickets, visit online at McKinneyEF.org or call 469.302.6313. All gala proceeds will help fund scholarships, grants and the College Advisor Program.
