11 Feb Education Champions Event Raises $50,000 for Scholarships
On Friday, January 19th, 2024 more than 240 guests gathered at Oak Hollow Farm in Fairhope, AL for the 2nd Annual Evening of Education Champions, raising more than $50,000 for education. The event serves as the signature fundraiser for the Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship which recognizes high school seniors from each feeder pattern and former Baldwin County graduates who are working toward a degree in education. The Josh Hall Memorial Scholarship recognizes employees and children of our employees who also strive to become teachers or obtain an additional education degree.
The Annual Evening of Education Champions is hosted by the Baldwin County Education Coalition in partnership with Baldwin County Public Schools. The Coalition serves as the fiscal manager for the Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship Fund and helps to bridge the gap between the community and public education in Baldwin County meeting the financial needs of education where public funds cannot.
“We are grateful for our business partners who recognize the importance of supporting our future educators,” said Dr. Tiffany Wilson, Human Resources Director for Baldwin County Public Schools. “Our scholarship program focuses on our students and employees who desire to give back to our communities in Baldwin County once they have obtained a degree in the educational field. We are blessed with the most talented and dedicated employees throughout our seven feeder patterns, and it is our goal to continue growing our own from within Baldwin County.”
The Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship program was an idea born out of the human resources department to encourage students to return to Baldwin County Public Schools after earning their degree in education. The recruitment tool has proven successful as some of the first recipients of the scholarship will soon be returning to teach in the classrooms where their education began.
One of those students is Lily Glassford. Lily was a member of the inaugural class to receive the renewable scholarship and recently completed her education degree, “I think it’s a great program because, one, it is my own county helping. Why would I not want to go back when my own county is supporting me? It’s exciting to feel recognized by my county as well. It just makes me feel happy and just being able to come back and make a difference in the county and school system I attended. I experienced a lot of different teachers. I took away what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I want to implement in the classroom. I think it’s exciting.”
In 2023, the Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship program awarded $40,000 in scholarships thanks to the generous investment of donors to the fund. Thanks to the success of the Evening of Education Champions event, the scholarship fund is strong and growing and will be sustainable for years to come.
“It’s difficult to put into words just how special this event means to so many. The name says it all, ‘Evening of Education Champions!’ If you want to carry the name of a champion you must recruit the best, train the best and hire the best,” said Eddie Tyler, Superintendent of Baldwin County Public Schools. “The show of support from those who have invested and are investing in our students and employees know the value of raising our students, training our student, and bringing our students back to Baldwin County to move our school system to the forefront of academic excellence! BALDWINPROUD!”
“We want to thank everyone who joined us for our “Evening of Education Champions” and made it such a wonderful success,” said Wilson. “We look forward to continuing these vital partnerships and invite everyone to join us next year in this worthwhile endeavor.”
If you are interested in donating to the Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship you can click here, or contact Terry Burkle, Executive Director for the Baldwin County Education Coalition at tburkle@betterbaldwin.com.
