Most of us have heard the biblical command from Luke’s 12th chapter: to whom much is given, much will be required. In the life of the late Ray Potts, an Oklahoma oilman and philanthropist, we saw the principle lived out. I’ve had the privilege of knowing the Pottses, Ray and Pat, for several years and now have the honor of serving as CEO of the family’s foundation. The Pottses are well known for their generous philanthropy in Oklahoma City and across the state through support of numerous causes, the founding of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, and the work of the Potts Family Foundation. It wouldn’t surprise many to know that Ray generously supported the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Allied Arts or contributed to the Oklahoma Geological Society, but Ray’s deep commitment to public education in Oklahoma is less known.
Ray, a former State Board of Education member and the State Board of Career-Technology Education was deeply rooted in the education system. As the founding board chair of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, he was a driving force in shaping the future of education in OKC. In a 2002 interview, Ray passionately stated, “Education is critical to any person’s success in life. If we don’t try to improve the quality of public education, it will affect the outcome of the whole nation.” His educational journey, starting from a small rural high school in Missouri, where only seven people were in his class, and culminating in a law degree from Oklahoma City University, was a testament to his belief in the transformative power of education.
![Published Caption: School desks. [Stock photo]
Original Caption: School desks.](http://honorsofdistinctionmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/73133686007-school-desks.jpg)
Like other Oklahoma giants of industry and philanthropy, Ray saw the connection between education and success. The Potts Family Foundation’s mission is to support the earliest years of a child’s life through high-quality early education and access to family support. These objectives put the family’s fortune to work in tangible ways to make a difference for children. Policymakers often tout running government like a business and run for office, calling themselves businessmen and not politicians. Ray Potts was a very successful businessman who saw the need for government to provide excellent education to all students, and he put his money where his mouth was.
Oklahoma’s children need our help
In a 2019 letter to the editor that ran in The Oklahoman, Ray and his friend Howard Barnett spoke of history repeating itself for education in Oklahoma. Ray and Barnett had worked alongside Gov. Henry Bellman as part of the group of business leaders that served on Task Force 2000, which recommended the legislation that became House Bill 1017 and was approved in 1990. HB 1017 increased teacher salaries, lowered teacher-student ratios, and increased funding for education in general. The letter warned that HB 1017 didn’t fully address the needs of education in Oklahoma and that history was repeating the need for investment. Specifically, the business leaders highlighted the need to equip public schools with adequate counseling support. They said, “The fact that Oklahoma tops the nation in traumatized kids indicates the importance of these supports to enable teachers to teach and kids to learn.”
Today, Oklahoma children are still more likely than children in other states to experience Adverse Childhood Experiences, the traumatic events during childhood directly linked by research to health issues later in life. At the Potts Family Foundation, we equip communities with knowledge about childhood trauma and work to support organizations that intervene with families caring for young children. Our mission includes ensuring everyone in Oklahoma understands the importance of the early years and has the knowledge to advocate for policies and practices that build resilience in children, families, and communities. We will go anywhere and tell the story of trauma and resilience to anyone, for free.
As we mourn Ray Potts’s death, we also celebrate his legacy. I urge you to join us in our efforts to make Oklahoma a state that prioritizes the future of all children. Ray supported public education and early childhood with his time, talent and treasures. What could Oklahoma be if we all followed his example? I invite you to consider how you can contribute to children’s lives and reach out to us if you want to learn more.
AJ Griffin is CEO of the Potts Family Foundation.
