The 2014 Dalton Education Foundation grants and awards cycle resulted in over $50,000 distributed to students, teachers, and schools in the Dalton Public School System. “DEF remains focused on rewarding and promoting innovation and excellence in our local schools,” said Bob Bethel, president of the Foundation. Roughly $40,000 was awarded for classroom grants and teacher awards with the balance distributed for college scholarships to graduating seniors.
Over 20 classroom grants for excellence were awarded to teachers across the district this year.
Highlights of the 2014 program include funding for Tom Jones Grants for Excellence to teachers to support enhanced engagement and understanding. Receiving grants were Leigh Anne Smith (DHS), Martha Thomason (Westwood and City Park), Jane Keegan (Brookwood), Julia Higgins (MIHS). The Rowena Martin Innovative Teaching Grant was awarded to Candy Debolt (DMS). Other foundation grants were awarded to Renee Mahan (Brookwood), Amanda Triplett (DMS & DHS), Alice Ensley (district wide), Alecia Hagberg (DHS and district 5th graders), Suzy Thomas (Westwood), Ali Finley (City Park), Jane Pate (DMS), Eric White (MIHS), Annette Rojas (Brookwood), Trevor Ledford (DHS), and writing teaching staff (DMS).
“The Board is excited about the work being done by these teachers and is proud to make these awards on behalf of the donors to the Foundation,” said Mr. Bethel. “Due to the continued generosity of numerous donors and the careful stewardship of our Board, the Foundation has been able to increase the dollars for classroom grants while at the same time grow our endowment for future generations. We want to build on last year’s momentum and award even more grants this year. The Foundation invites people and entities interested in partnering with us to contact the Foundation about opportunities to support excellence in our classrooms.”
The Foundation’s top award, the Tom Jones Educator of the Year Award, was awarded to Dr. Laurie Wright (Westwood) this past Friday during halftime of the Dalton High School football game.
“The nationally recognized success of the Dalton Public School System is a result of consistent effort by members of the entire community. This effort has been made for generations. Public schools in our community have a great history and an even brighter future. It is encouraging to see the continual rebirth of a commitment to excellence play out day by day and year by year at DPS. The Dalton Education Foundation is proud to be a partner in this process,” Mr. Bethel stated.