The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence (OFE) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Academic All-State class.

Each year, OFE honors 100 public high school seniors as Academic All-Staters. Students are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership and community service. Each All-State honoree receives a $1,500 prize, a medallion and an honor cord.

“Every year, we are awed by the accomplishments of our All-Staters,” said OFE Executive Director Elizabeth Inbody. “This powerful achievement reflects these students’ successes not just in their classrooms but in their communities. By honoring them, we send a strong signal to their peers about the importance of leadership and academic excellence.”

This will be the 40th class of Academic All-Staters. The first class was selected in 1987, just two years after OFE’s founding.

OFE will honor the Academic All-State class at the 40th annual Academic Awards Celebration on May 2 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Each All-Stater is encouraged to invite a teacher who has significantly impacted their academic career. These educators accompany the students on stage and present them with their All-State medals.

“In 2024, we started the tradition of having the teachers share the spotlight with the All-Staters,” Inbody said. “We love celebrating these outstanding educators alongside their students. Their presence reinforces the vital role dedicated teachers play in students’ lives.”

To be eligible to apply, a student must meet one of the following criteria: a composite ACT score of at least 30, a combined SAT evidence-based reading & writing and math score of at least 1370, or selection as a National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalist. As part of the application process, students must submit letters of recommendation and write an essay.

An independent selection committee made up of business, education and civic leaders, as well as past Academic All-Staters, chooses the honorees.

All-State applications are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 2. Detailed award criteria and access to the application are available at OFE.org.

OFE, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, is a statewide, nonpartisan nonprofit that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools. The foundation elevates public education through esteemed honors, grants to K-12 mentoring programs, support for public school foundations and partnerships that provide exceptional professional development to educators.