Mara Johnson (M.A.T. ’16) and Jeffrey Stephens (B.S.E. ’16) were two of 41 teachers who received a 2016 Georgia Power New Teacher Assistance Grant.
The grant program is designed to provide Georgia’s newest teachers with funding to purchase classroom supplies and help start their classroom careers. Teacher nominations were submitted by Georgia public colleges and universities that have schools of education.
To be eligible for a grant, candidates must be in the top 25 percent of their class, be a first-year teacher employed by a public school in Georgia and demonstrate a high aptitude for teaching, according to the Georgia Power website.
“Georgia’s future leaders are learning the skills they need to be successful every day in our classrooms,” said Anne Kaiser, vice president of community and economic development for Georgia Power, in a news release. “Supporting education is supporting our state’s future and is critical to ensuring that we are prepared for Georgia’s vibrant economic future with a skilled workforce.”
Johnson teaches English at Campbell High School in Cobb County, Ga., and Stephens teaches fourth grade at Graves Elementary School in Gwinnett County, Ga. They are two of four College of Education & Human Development alumni who have received the grant; Gregory Heilman (M.A.T. ’14) and Emily Decker (M.A.T. ’09) were chosen in 2014 and 2009, respectively.
For more information about Georgia Power and its grant program, visit https://www.georgiapower.com.