About Olivia
Our Mission
The mission of the Olivia Knighton Foundation is to honor Olivia’s short but beautiful life by spreading her light, love, passion, and kindness. It is our goal to enable children to follow their dreams and make the world a better place by providing scholarships and grants, spreading acts of kindness, and supporting the causes that were most important to Olivia: children’s welfare, protection of animals, and education.
The organization’s operating activities will be conducted primarily by Brad and Britney Knighton as well as an extensive network of volunteers. It will be governed by a Board of Directors who will have fiduciary responsibility for the organization and provide strategic guidance and leadership. Currently, the Board is comprised of six members.
Olivia was 11 years old when she was tragically killed in a boating accident in July of 2023. She was loved by everyone who knew her and her family, and once the news spread, support started pouring in from around the country and world.
Friends, family members, classmates, and strangers began to raise money through bake sales, lemonade stands, and other efforts to honor her special soul. Faced with the decision of how to distribute those funds in a way that would be meaningful to Olivia, her parents donated to a local animal shelter and local youth soccer team. It became clear that a more centralized effort was needed, and Brad and Britney Knighton decided to create The Olivia Knighton Foundation.
Olivia loved everything about school, inside and outside of the classroom. Throughout her life, and especially in recent years, she formed strong bonds with all of her teachers, loved learning, and participated in many clubs. To honor her passion for school, the foundation’s primary objective will be to award scholarships: first at Attleboro High School, which is in Olivia’s school district, and later at other high schools within Massachusetts. These scholarships will be offered to graduating high school seniors who are passionate about pursuing higher education but are facing financial obstacles. The remainder of the funds raised will be donated to charities that were important to Olivia: children’s welfare (especially those that focus on school readiness), animal shelters, and others at the discretion of the Board.
“To share thoughts and memories of Olivia is like asking someone to complete the hardest writing task about the easiest person to describe. Olivia’s smile entered a room long before she did...It often seemed that her mission in life was to bring cheer, comfort and delight to those around her. She had a zest for life, a love of learning and a sense of faith like no other. Peers knew they could count on her for assistance and never feared judgment of any sort - whether it was reading a word, completing a math problem or simply tying a shoe. Loyalty and sincerity were strongly woven into the fabric of Olivia. As if her accomplishments in the classroom were not enough, Olivia shined on the soccer field as well. Her dedication to the sport was evident in every practice and every game. With all of her accomplishments and achievements in the classroom and on the field however, she had one passion that surpassed them all - and that was her love of family. Her family stood on the sidelines of her life and cheered her on through every moment. Because she knew such love, it was so easy for her to stand on the sidelines of others’ lives and cheer them on as well. Sure, Olivia left a wonderful legacy in the classroom and on the field, however, Olivia’s real legacy was the impact she left on the sidelines of other people’s lives.”
“Olivia Knighton as a first grader at SJE: I remember Olivia with a big smile on her face. She came to school with that smile, wore it all day, and left with it. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning made teaching her a blessing. Olivia always tried her best. She put effort into everything she did and was proud of the final product. She was very artistic and loved any project that allowed her to use her own creativity. She was a total rule follower and I really don’t think it ever occuried to her to not follow the rules. She was one of the most genuinely kind students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. She treated everyone the same and was a great friend to everyone she met. Kids loved to work or play with Olivia because she was always so positive and kind.”
“Olivia was a very special student to me. She was a third grader in my class during the year of hybrid education. We were both in school and virtually at home on computers. Liv loved to learn and approached every subject with enthusiasm. I remember that she enjoyed competition in math facts, and she was proud when she could complete a blank multiplication chart quickly and correctly in under 5 minutes! Science experiments and hands on inquiry based projects were a favorite of hers. I looked forward to seeing her big smile online when she showed her inventions. I really enjoyed her writing because it exemplified her unique style and engaged the reader from the first sentence! She loved reading and the books we read in class. Her reading scores showed significant improvement from the beginning of the year to the end. On a biography/social studies project, she researched Sally Ride and created an outstanding project that was informative and very enjoyable to read. I’ll always remember her beautiful smile and her sweet and generous nature. She hugged me every day and presented me with thoughtful cards, drawings, and gifts. I still have them today, and think of her often when I use my Peeps drinking cup or my stool that she painted. Truly and sincerely, Liv motivated me to be a better teacher. She inspired me to plan lessons and projects with more artistic flair because I knew she and her classmates would really enjoy them. Of course teachers aren’t supposed to have favorites, but I sometimes whispered to her that she was special and a favorite of mine. Her loss has hit me hard because she was such an angel on earth. Love you Liv!”
