THREE LOCAL TEACHERS GET 

GEORGIA POWER CO. GRANTS

REPRESENTING TIFT COUNTY HIGH, LEN LASTINGER PRIMARY 

AND IRWIN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Georgia Power Co. on Friday announced that 41 new public school teachers from across the state -- including three from the Tiftarea -- will each receive a $1,000 New Teacher Assistance Grant this year from the power company. 

DEKLE

The local teachers getting grants are  Kelly Dekle, a mathematics teacher at Tift County High School;  Robert Bullington, a third-grade teacher at Tifton's Len Lastinger Primary School; and Emily Smoak, special education teacher at Irwin County Middle School in Ocilla.

Georgia Power  awards the grants each year to provide the state's newest teachers with funds to purchase classroom supplies and start their careers as pre-K, elementary, middle and high school teachers.

Since launching the program in 2004, Georgia Power has awarded more than $350,000 in individual grants to more than 350 new teachers in communities across the state.

"The foundation for Georgia's future economic success is being laid in classrooms throughout Georgia every day," said Anne Kaiser, vice president of community and economic development for Georgia Power.

"Supporting education is supporting our state's future, and we're committed to assisting teachers as they guide and prepare tomorrow's leaders."

Teacher nominations were submitted to Georgia Power by state 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. 

Grant recipients are encouraged to use the funds to purchase items such as books, educational CDs or DVDs, computers, projectors or other supplies to enhance their classrooms.

"The New Teacher Assistance Grant program is meaningful to educators as many of us want the new teachers to understand how much they are appreciated," said Paul Alberto, dean and regent's professor in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University.