The Putnam City Public Schools Foundation is one of four recipients of the 2008 Outstanding Program Awards for Local Education Foundations sponsored by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.

The award, which recognizes innovative programs sponsored or administered by public school foundations in Oklahoma, will be presented at the Fall Forum for Local Education Foundations on Oct. 23 on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman.

Putnam City’s Foundation was recognized for its sponsorship of Challenge Day, a character development program designed to reduce bullying and violence, increase student self-esteem and build more coherent, compassionate school communities.

With the assistance of 100 adult volunteers, last year’s Challenge Day served 400 Putnam City High and Putnam City West students from a variety of social and economic backgrounds. Students spent the morning participating in ice-breakers, soul-searching exercises and other activities to help them freely share their feelings and experiences with their peers. In the afternoon, students broke into small groups where they were encouraged to speak candidly about issues ranging from bullying and violence to intolerance and substance abuse. By the end of the day, students had an opportunity to make amends for hurts they had caused each other and state their commitment to creating change in their school community. The intensive six-hour program was reinforced with follow-up activities throughout the school year.

Early in the coming school year, about 400 9th-grade students from each of Putnam City’s three high schools – more than 1,200 in all – will take part in Challenge Day.

The award, which includes a plaque and $1,000, is sponsored by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, a nonprofit organization that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools.