2020 has been tough on the kids and communities served by Oklahoma City Public Schools.
Today, we are proud to launch a new campaign called Why We Care with a 7-minute film that personally connects one generation of leaders to the next through a shared love of sports and community.
In this inspiring video, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, sports radio personality Sam Mayes, Star Spencer alumni Duce & Ayana Talley, and former U.S. Grant Lady General Brenda Hernandez offer messages of love and support to four young OKCPS student-athletes, letting them know an entire city is behind them, cheering them on, in school and in life.
In addition to reminding us that sports have the power to change lives and positively impact communities, Why We Care kicks off an effort to raise the final $3,000,000 of a $10,000,000 field maintenance fund that will ensure every field, court, and track we build is carefully maintained and available for future generations of OKCPS students and families.
In the weeks to follow, we will release additional story videos and share personal Why We Care messages from these community leaders and other Fields & Futures friends and supporters.
Visit the Why We Care campaign page to contribute your own “Why I Care” stories and to make your #ForeverGift to the field maintenance fund.
We Care Because…
Sports give young people something to believe in, belong to, and build on for the rest of their lives. But, sadly, thousands of Oklahoma City children have grown up without access to team sports.
At Fields & Futures, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to join a team and benefit from that experience. And it all starts with a safe place to play.
In 2012, we built our first athletic field at Jefferson Middle School, setting in motion a plan to give every student in Oklahoma City Public Schools quality athletic fields to play on and a team to join.
Eight short years later, we have constructed 32 athletic fields, 20 courts, and 7 tracks at 18 different OKCPS campuses.
The role we’re most proud to play is helping students find their place on a team – for many students, a second family providing a source of encouragement, direction, and hope.
The ultimate strategy is to use team sports to help students find a stronger path to graduation. The link-up to this academic mission is ingrained in the team experience—You have to make your grades to play.
A founding belief of ours is, “If they play, they stay. And if they stay, they graduate.” And it’s proved accurate – with senior student-athletes achieving a 99%+ graduation rate each school year since we started tracking in 2015.
The collective impact realized in our neighborhoods and student households can be truly transformative for Oklahoma City.
This isn’t a Fields & Futures story. It’s not a city story. It’s our story, together.
Alongside OKCPS coaches, school principals, community partners, and supporters, our collective message to the kids and communities served by Oklahoma City Public Schools is clear: “We believe in you. We’re cheering for you. We care about you.”
Follow #WhyWeCareOKC on social media for the latest Why We Care videos and content.