Pictured from left to right are Mike May, Earl Sears, Martin Garber, George Halkiades, Kyle Hubbard, Mark Headley, Lisa Cary, and Vanessa Drummond.

Arvest Foundation recently announced a $5,000 contribution to Bartlesville Education Promise (BEP). The funds will be used to support BEP’s goals of improving the Bartlesville Public Schools District graduation rate.

Kyle Hubbard, president of Arvest Bank, and Earl Sears, Arvest business development representative, recently presented the check to Martin Garber, chairman of BEP, and BEP board members.

Bartlesville Education Promise was created in 2015 to guide the Bartlesville community towards assuming greater ownership for improving educational outcomes for all students in the Bartlesville schools, with a special focus on improving graduation rates and readiness for higher education, technical school or full-time employment.

“We are sincerely delighted to accept this contribution from the Arvest Foundation,” said Garber. “Arvest has been a significant donor and partner in our goal of improving the graduation rate in the Bartlesville school system. Their continued support recognized the improvement we are making by supporting our tutoring efforts in all nine public schools, our third-grade reading program, and the significant summer programs to continue learning at all levels.”

“We are pleased to present this donation on behalf of the Arvest Foundation to support Bartlesville Education Promise’s efforts to provide greater educational opportunities for students,” said Hubbard. “We are committed to our public school system and greatly appreciate the work our local teachers and administrators do daily to enrich the lives of their students. This donation is just one of many we have made throughout the area. It demonstrates the foundation’s ongoing commitment to education and to the children in the region.”

Over $75,000 has been contributed by the Arvest Foundation in the Bartlesville region to date.

The Arvest Foundation seeks to provide funding to grantees who are actively working to create positive change for others. Major areas of focus include: K-12 education, economic development, and enhancing the quality of life throughout the Arvest footprint. For more information, go to www.arvestfoundation.org.