By Zach Oliver of Presto in the Paint

Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris will present Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) with a check for $50,000 at their 2014 Fore Our Schools Golf Tournament on Friday, September 12 at 1:30 PM at the Orange County National Golf Club. Per Harris’ request, the donation will be distributed between Howard Middle School, Nap Ford Community School and the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools to assist them with intellectual and social tools that will improve education for Central Florida youth.

“I truly believe education is the foundation of success,” said Tobias Harris. “As a professional athlete I have been extremely fortunate to have a platform with which to make a difference and what better place to start than through kids and their education.”

Harris’ donation to OCPS is made possible through the 2013-14 Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award.  Each year, the Orlando Magic honors a player who has dedicated his efforts off the court for the purpose of enhancing others’ lives at the annual Orlando Magic Youth Foundation Black Tie and Tennies Gala. In addition to receiving the award, the player is granted $50,000 from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation to donate to the charity of his choice.

Established in 1987, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools is committed to public education. OCPS serves the 10^th largest public school system in the nation, providing instruction for more than 187,000 students with almost 13,000 teachers in 184 schools with a mission to lead students to success with support and involvement of families and community. The Foundation’s 2012-15 Strategic Plan focuses on four goals: literacies, quality teaching, learning support and engagement.