Exciting Education Council

The target of "Exciting Education" is to energize teachers by empowering them with teaching mini-grants of up to $300 each. The mini-grants fund new, innovative, and hands-on classroom projects.
To gain support and grow ownership of the project, members of the council met with the local School Superintendent and members of local Board of Education, the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce, and two local businesses. The council grew to include three people appointed by the Board of Education and one person appointed by the Chamber of Commerce. The team met on two occasions to organize, arrange publicity, and to refine the grant application and its process. Once the application and application process were finalized, members of the council presented the program to an assembly of all school principals, then made presentations to teachers at each of the seven schools.

Unexpected Side Effects

Teachers felt valued by private sector support
Parental involvement increased at a traditionally low involvement school
ACLP team grew and reached its target through partnerships
Positive activity increased in a controversial school year
Interest was generated in pursuing this and like projects through an Education Foundation

We learned that our assumptions about teachers in our school system were true. They told us that they often times heavily supplement classroom activities from their own pockets and that hope of receiving "seed money" inspired them to try new things in the classroom. One teacher said, "I had always wanted to try my project but never had because of money or whatever reason, I applied for the grant on a lark and low and behold I got it!"

We also learned that the education realm is eager for partnerships with the private sector and while the private sector is eager to assist the education realm it doesn't always know how. We found an answer through the ACLP process...all it takes is an idea, a successful methodology and a little bit of money.