The Suffolk Education Foundation board of directors is excited to welcome a new voice to the conversation for the 2023-24 school year. 

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Josiah Patrick, a senior in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at King’s Fork High School, will join the board offering insight

on how the Education Foundation can better serve the students.

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The Foundation followed an open application process, searching for a student representative from among rising juniors and seniors in

one of the city's public high schools.  Candidates had to demonstrate good character, a 3.0+ GPA, and recommendations from a

community member and a school staff member.  The top candidates participated in a panel interview with current members of the

board.  The appointment will be for one year beginning in July, and can be renewed for one year. 

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Patrick is member of the National Honor Society, and currently serves as president of Coding and Creativity Club at King’s Fork High

School. He volunteers at the school’s Koffee Kennel, a program where IB students work with special education teens to deliver breakfast

to the teachers. Patrick is also a member of the EMBODI program, which empowers African American males to address issues such as

school culture, college readiness, and leadership. EMBODI stands for Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence. His long-term goal is to create his own restaurant chain, after earning his MBA.

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SEF President David Miles explained the mission of the Suffolk Education Foundation is to serve the students, faculty, and staff of Suffolk Public Schools. “To accomplish this, our bylaws require representation from the superintendent's office and the School Board which gives us the viewpoints of teachers, parents and administrators. With the addition of a student board member we are able to include a valuable perspective to broaden the reach of our support to the community and school division.”

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The Suffolk Education Foundation (SEF) was founded in 1993 and received its IRS 501(c)(3) status in the same year. Since that time, the board has worked hard by developing a variety of fundraisers to raise additional donations and to ensure that students and staff of Suffolk Public Schools receive scholarships and classroom grants on an annual basis. The Suffolk Education Foundation has returned nearly $1 million dollars to Suffolk Public Schools.

The mission of the Suffolk Education Foundation is to support Suffolk Public Schools by connecting the community’s talents and resources to expand educational opportunities for students and staff.  By supporting Suffolk Public Schools, the Foundation is ensuring that the Suffolk community will have talented leaders and citizens long into the future.