Partners - WCPS Education Foundation

Hickory & Oak Gift Card Promotion

The WCPS Education Foundation raised $3,000 through a collaborative effort with restaurateur and WCPS 2025 HODA Inductee Josh Poling.

Josh, a 2004 Greenwood High School graduate, is a successful restaurant entrepreneur and business owner. He first opened the restaurant Home Cafe & Marketplace with his wife, Chelsey, in 2011. In 2018, the couple opened Hickory & Oak, an upscale restaurant, making a one-million-dollar investment in downtown Bowling Green. Through Mr. Poling’s generosity, Hickory & Oak is known for numerous community events including providing steaks to veterans on Veterans Day, as well as gifting steaks to local educators during the first week of school. He also integrates the restaurant into downtown events which are vital to the community’s culture.

In June 2024, the Polings acquired Broadbent B&B Foods.

FranklinCovey

FranklinCovey’s Leader in Me is an evidence-based, comprehensive school improvement model that empowers students with the leadership and life skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. The process starts with a powerful paradigm: every child has unique strengths and talents that they can use to lead. This paradigm allows the adults to encourage the development of the whole child.

Leader in Me embodies a holistic approach to education, redefining how schools measure success. This approach empowers educators with effective practices and tools to teach leadership to every student, create a culture of student empowerment, and align systems to drive results intrinsically motivating adults and students.