Georgia Power Recognizes Promising New Teachers
Each year since 2004, Georgia Power has awarded $1,000 grants for classroom supplies to some of the state’s best and brightest new teachers through its New Teacher Assistance Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to encourage promising new teachers by helping them purchase materials and supplies for use in their classroom beyond those provided by their school. The items purchased with the grant money are the property of the teacher, not of the school system.
Teacher nominations were submitted to Georgia Power by the 18 Georgia public colleges and universities that have a school of education. To be eligible for the grant, candidates had to be in the top 25 percent of their class academically, be a first-year teacher employed by a public school in Georgia, and demonstrate a high aptitude for teaching.
“The new jobs being created in Georgia require an educated work force, and businesses must lend their support to improving the quality of education to ensure Georgia’s economic viability continues to flourish,” said Kevin Fletcher, Georgia Power’s vice president of Economic Development. “This program is Georgia Power’s way of telling new teachers that we appreciate their contributions and we hope they will remain committed to the profession.”
Georgia Power began the program as a way to encourage new teachers to stay in the profession and to provide them with much-needed funds to purchase classroom supplies, equipment or materials not provided by their schools.
“Teacher retention continues to be a major concern in Georgia. In the next four years, 50 percent of our baby boomer-age teachers will retire. It’s critical that we hire a significant number of new teachers and give them incentives to stay with the profession.” Winners can use the $1,000 grant to purchase items such as books, educational CDs or DVDs, computers or projectors, or other supplies.
“We are delighted to award these grants to these deserving teachers,” noted Fletcher. “The average teacher spends approximately $500 out of their own pocket each year on classroom materials. This award helps alleviate this burden and allows them to be creative in the classroom.” Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties.
Georgia Power New Teacher Assistance Grant: Winners 2009
| College | Name | Grade | Subject | Community | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State | Monica Noriega | 8th | Science/Spanish | Camilla | Mitchell |
| Lonnie Thornton | 3rd | All | LaGrange | Troup | |
| Armstrong Atlantic | Bonnie Camp | 4th | Spec Ed Math & Science | Ludowici | Long |
| Augusta State | Rebecca Whitley | 11th | English & American Lit | Waynesboro | Burke |
| James Davis | 5th | Math & Science | Augusta | Richmond | |
| Clayton State | Jennifer Mozley | 6th | Math & Language Arts | LaGrange | Troup |
| Columbus State | Jana Austin | 5th | Math, Reading & Writing | LaGrange | Troup |
| Dalton State | Marlena Lawrence | 6th | English | LaFayette | Walker |
| Joshua Roberts | 6th & 8th | Math & Science | Dalton | Whitfield | |
| Gainesville State | Sara Eller | Pre-K | All | Sugar Hill | Gwinnett |
| Georgia College | Lyndsay Riley | 9th & 10th | Biology/Science | Milledgeville | Baldwin |
| Georgia Southern | Jordyn Nail | 9th | Math | Swainsboro | Emanuel |
| R. Heath Simmons | 4-8th | Math & Science | Wrightsville | Johnson | |
| Georgia SW | Laura Horne | 3rd Grade | Language Arts & Math | Dublin | Laurens |
| Ted Barton | 6th Grade | Science & Social Studies | Leesburg | Lee | |
| Georgia State | Emily Decker | High | English | Norcross | Gwinnett |
| Gordon College | Renee Ard | Kindergarten | All, Early Intervention | Barnesville | Lamar |
| Kenny Vaughn | 5th | Reading & Language Arts | Thomaston | Upson | |
| Kennesaw State | Casey Evans | 3rd | All | Calhoun | Gordon |
| Natasha Lewis | 9th-11th | History & Geography | Acworth | Cobb | |
| Macon State | Danielle Hall | 4th | Social Studies | Byron | Peach |
| George Lamberth | 4th | Social Studies, Reading | Fort Valley | Peach | |
| North Georgia | Caroline Utz | 2nd | Reading/Math Inclusion | Resaca | Gordon |
| UGA | Kathryn Koerten | 9th | Math | Atlanta | DeKalb |
| Mike Walliser | 10th | Math | Athens | Clarke | |
| Valdosta State | Brandi Clapper | 9-12 | Deaf & Hard of Hearing/ASL | Moultrie | Colquitt |
| Brett Rogers | 6th – 8th | Reading & Math | Lakeland | Lanier | |
| West Georgia | J. Alison Johns | 9-12th | Health & Physical Ed | Newnan | Coweta |
| A. Cody Campbell | 6/7/8th | Math (Remedial) | Macon | Bibb |
Media Contact:
Georgia Power Media Relations
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