Two Coweta instructors receive New Teacher Assistance Grants
From Staff Reportseducation@newnan.com
Coweta County School System instructors Kiesha Carroll and Phillip Sykes were among 44 of Georgia’s “best and brightest new teachers” to receive a New Teacher Assistance Grant from Georgia Power recently.
Carroll is a fourth grade math and science teacher at Moreland Elementary School while Sykes is a social studies teacher at Madras Middle School.
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.
“Teacher retention is a national crisis and an important goal for our state,” said Pedro Cherry, Georgia Power’s vice president of Community and Economic Development. “Georgia Power is proud to support this effort to keep these highly trained teachers in the classrooms. We feel businesses must lend their support to improving the quality of education in the state to make certain we have an educated workforce that will ensure Georgia’s economic viability.”
Since 2004, Georgia Power has awarded the $1,000 grants annually to help 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.
Carroll is a graduate of the University of West Georgia while Sykes graduated from Valdosta State University. They can use the grants to purchase items such as books, educational materials, computers and other supplies.
“Our school is proud to have Kiesha Carroll in the classroom,” said Moreland Elementary School Principal Beverly Yeager. “Her energy and enthusiasm for teaching and learning is contagious. Her students enjoy her creative and innovative approaches to learning. She sets high expectations for her students and then works hard to ensure student success.
“Last year, Mrs. Carroll was a presenter at the National Science Educators Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana,” continued Yeager. “She’s a vibrant learner herself, constantly broadening her knowledge, improving her skills and sharing with others what she has learned. We are especially grateful to Georgia Power for recognizing innovative teachers.”
“It was my pleasure to present these awards to such outstanding teachers and welcome them to our neighborhood,” added Lisa Smith, Georgia Power Newnan-area manager.
“This program is one of Georgia Power’s many ways of showing new teachers that their contributions are appreciated and we hope they will remain committed to the profession,” Cherry said.
