# Education Foundation Celebrates Community Support for Lexington Schools **Published:** 2026-09-17T18:48:00.000Z **Source:** [Fayette County Public Schools](https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fayette-education-foundation-celebrates-champions-for-students) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/education-foundation-celebrates-community-support-for-lexington-schools LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Fayette Education Foundation highlighted the teachers, volunteers, and community partners who support public education in the district during its rebranded annual fundraiser, ["Champions for Students,"](https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fayette-education-foundation-celebrates-champions-for-students) held Sept. 17 at the Alltech Arena in the Kentucky Horse Park. The event, which drew about 400 guests, marked a shift from the longtime State of Schools breakfast format to emphasize storytelling and recognize the broad network supporting [Fayette County Public Schools](https://www.fcps.net/). The program was emceed by LEX18 sports anchor Maggie Davis, a Paul Laurence Dunbar High graduate, who engaged Interim Superintendent Bill Bradford in an informal conversation about what FCPS means to them and their community. "I believe in FCPS because of the people. It is a really exceptional place," Bradford said during the discussion, noting that the district is "on a trajectory for a new way forward." The event featured extensive student participation, including orchestra members from Bryan Station High School providing background music, Henry Clay High JROTC students presenting the colors, and voice majors from SCAPA at Bluegrass performing the national anthem. Student ambassadors from four high schools — Bryan Station, Frederick Douglass, Henry Clay, and Tates Creek — served as greeters, while seniors Emmyus Granville and Grace Hellard co-hosted alongside Davis. The foundation also recognized the latest [Golden Apple Award winners](https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fcps-salutes-2025-26-golden-apple-winners) for outstanding volunteer contributions. Recipients included Toyota in the Business & Industry category, CivicLex in Community & Nonprofit, Marty Jones of the Community Action Council as an Individual, and Bluegrass Community & Technical College in the Postsecondary category. Students from The Hub for Innovative Learning & Leadership crafted small wooden horses as keepsakes for attendees. Proceeds from the event will fund classroom innovation, grants to remove barriers to learning, and expanded opportunities across the district. Donations are being accepted through the [Fayette Education Foundation website](https://fayettefoundation.org/). ## Sources - [Fayette County Public Schools](https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fayette-education-foundation-celebrates-champions-for-students) - [Fayette County Public Schools official website](https://www.fcps.net/) - [2025-26 Golden Apple Award winners announcement](https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fcps-salutes-2025-26-golden-apple-winners) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Fayette County Public Schools. The original source is available at https://www.fcps.net/post-details/~board/fayette-county-public-schools-news/post/fayette-education-foundation-celebrates-champions-for-students.