Decisions to launch new logos and revise mission statements happen all the time in both the for- profit and nonprofit worlds. The purpose behind them is not always clear without explanation, though there is generally a lot of thought that goes on behind the scenes.

The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation is proud to announce our new brand after careful consideration to our history, purpose and evolution over the years. Our organization was founded in 1985 by a group of community leaders interested in making a meaningful difference for Oklahoma City Public Schools. It was during a time when education foundations were being created across the country, in an effort to bolster support for their districts.

Ray Potts, the Foundation’s first chairman, and its governing body of 22 trustees laid the groundwork for many of the Foundation’s lasting collaborations with the district, including the Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards, which was just held last week.

There have been a number of logos and mission statements over the years, and even a ‘doing business as’ change to The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools. As a way to simplify and clarify, we’re going back to using our legal name, Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation.

Our revised mission statement reads, “To advance excellence, advocate for equity, and build strong support for Oklahoma City Public Schools.” We’ve intentionally added the word equity, as this is the lens through which we do all of our work.

We’ve revised our logo to a more modern look that captures our traditional hand print in an abstract way, as well as symbolizing our city’s skyline. We’ve added four lines to represent our students, staff, families and community partners who are our constituents and provide our purpose. We invite you to check out our new look at www.okckids.com. Throughout the process, the primary component we want to convey is that our work represents the future. The future of our city lies in the future we create for all of our children.