Georgia Teachers Initiative

Transforming education
in Georgia

The Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE), the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF), and the Atlanta Football Host Committee (AFHC), along with a host of campaign partners, have joined forces to create the Georgia Teachers Initiative, a state-wide program dedicated to giving teachers the resources they need and recognition they deserve as they work tirelessly to prepare Georgia’s PreK-12 students for an optimal life. 

Join our online community to stay up-to-date on the latest updates, including grant opportunities, events, giveaways, and more!

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Through the Georgia Teachers Initiative, we are

Celebrating Teachers

Nominate a teacher whose innovative approaches are making a difference for their students.

Celebrating Teachers

Nominate a teacher whose innovative approaches are making a difference for their students.

Funding Innovative Projects

Request funding to implement your innovative classroom project.

Funding Innovative Projects

Request funding to implement your innovative classroom project.

Empowering Professional Growth

Access resources to support your educator journey.

Empowering Professional Growth

Access resources to support your educator journey.

Educating for Tomorrow

You can help.

Georgia businesses and individuals can support teachers across the state with a tax-deductible gift to Georgia Teachers Initiative and can help fund Teacher Grants for Innovation through GFPE’s PEACH Education Tax Credit, where donors will receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their donation.

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Register for Summit

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Rialto Center for the Arts at GSU

The 2025 Extra Yard for Teachers Summit will inspire and empower you! This free event is open to all educators and will feature inspiring speeches from high profile speakers, networking opportunities and giveaways! Space is limited so register now.

 

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Teacher Spotlights

"I plan to use the Teacher Grants for Innovation funds to purchase a VR headset for my classroom so my students can create 3-dimensional art in virtual reality and have the opportunity to integrate technical advancements with timeless concepts of beauty and creativity."
Matthew LathropK-5 Visual Arts Teacher
Matthew Lathrop
“The funding from the GTI Award will purchase KIBO, a robotic system that allows young elementary students to combine reading comprehension and robotics as they learn to code the robot to summarize the story they read.”
Elizabeth ProctorK-2 STEM Teacher
Elizabeth Proctor
“My GTI-funded project fosters leadership and problem-solving skills in high school students as they work to develop a hands-on STEM program for 4th and 5th-grade students in an economically disadvantaged housing complex.”
Leon GrantHigh School Pre-Engineering/STEM Teacher
Leon Grant
“Applying for GTI grant funds was simple and with the funding I will be able to take my forensics unit to the next level. Students will now be able to use blood typing kids, fingerprint analysis, and more as they work to solve the crime during our crime science lab.”
Kylie GarrardMiddle School STEM Teacher
Kylie Garrard
"Mrs. Parham fosters an environment where creativity and critical thinking flourish, constantly seeking new ways to engage her students. Her dedication to innovation not only enhances the learning experience but also prepares her students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world."
Ashley ParhamJasper County Primary School, 1st grade teacher
Ashley Parham
"Ms. Shipman uses different strategies to help students solve problems. She is highly passionate and gets her students excited about learning. Her method of teaching is a phenomenon.
Greta Shipman5th Grade Teacher, Factory Shoals Elementary
Greta Shipman
"Mrs. Brown is constantly incorporating cutting-edge technology into her classroom. She fearlessly embraces new technology and passes it onto her students, and her love and dedication to her students and towards her profession are without limit."
Gail Brown6th Grade Teacher, East Cobb Middle School
Gail Brown
“Mrs. Hong constantly explores new topics through research and data and teaches critical thinking skills when analyzing a challenge. Through innovation and creativity, she reaches and teaches all kids. She connects well with children of different personalities and learning abilities and guides them on the right path of education.”
Virginia HongFourth Grade Teacher, Murdock Elementary School
Virginia Hong
“Ms. Rivera-Suarez is always looking for innovative ways to make science come alive for her students. In 2024, more students participated in the science fair than ever before – a completely voluntary activity. Their participation was attributed to Ms. Rivera-Suarez, who motivated them to make their most innovative science ideas come to life.”
Yolanda Rivera-SuarezEighth Grade Science Teacher, Creekland Middle School
Yolanda Rivera-Suarez
“Mrs. Corbin exemplifies innovation in the classroom by encouraging engagement through Project-Based Learning. She offers students unique learning experiences and makes learning accessible for all her students.”
Staci Corbin5th grade ELA & Social Studies Teacher, Trion Elementary School
Staci Corbin
“I have Dr. Jones to thank for my love of science. I will always attribute my success in the science field to her. Not only did she facilitate my interest, but she engaged in it with me. Dr. Jones truly deserves this recognition because, without her, I would not be pursuing entry into Howard University's BS-MD Program!”
Tiffany JonesHigh School Science Teacher, South Cobb High School
Tiffany Jones
"Ms. McDowell advocates for all learners to be actively involved in their education. Her dedication is unmatched, and she strives to bring real-life issues into the classroom to engage students in the practical side of science education. Ms. McDowell is a change agent to the core and a great role model for new and veteran teachers.”
Crystal McDowellHigh School Science Teacher, Greenbrier High School
Crystal McDowell
Mrs. Spillman has been teaching music for 23 years and is constantly looking for ways to inspire and bring the musical arts to life. She understands the importance of the impact arts can have on a child's life and is a treasure to our school.
Terra SpillmanMusic Teacher, Providence Elementary School
Terra Spillman
Ms. Patterson is a natural innovator and provides creative instruction to her students. She makes learning fun and inviting for all her students by providing alternative seating and instruction in her beautiful classroom.
Meredith PattersonKindergarten Teacher, Woodstation Elementary School
Meredith Patterson
“Mrs. Hamilton exemplifies innovation in the classroom. She makes learning fun by building on students’ background knowledge and using practical, everyday situations to teach complex ideas. Mrs. Hamilton's biggest mode of measurable impact is the relationships she builds with her students. She works to get to know them, to make them feel welcome, seen and heard in her class. She treats students with respect, and they love her for it.”
Keisha Hamilton7th Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher, Jefferson Middle School
Keisha Hamilton
“Ms. Johnson has a unique way of seeing a problem and finding solutions to meet the needs of her students. While teaching Special Education, she saw a need for more training on how General Education and Special Education teachers can collaborate better together. She has since stepped into a general education teacher role and is now serving as a teacher leader to help improve collaboration among all teachers."
Jennifer Johnson4th Grade Teacher, Tesnatee Gap Elementary School
Jennifer Johnson
“Mrs.Parris is always trying new ways to help us understand the assignment. She uses many different teaching styles. I learned so much in the short year I had her class. Great teaching strategies and great teacher. She made me love math again. Her ways of teaching impact me and my relationship with math.”
Courtney ParrisMath Teacher, Trion High School
Courtney Parris
“Ms. Hicks really gets to know her students and what motivates them, what they struggle with and why. By seeing the big picture, she can incorporate this into her goals for each kid. She works as a team with fellow faculty to make sure each child stays engaged throughout the day which is no small feat with a classroom full of kindergarten children. She is very communicative and keeps parents in the loop and asks for feedback every step of the way.”
Ashley HicksKindergarten Teacher, Whitesburg Elementary School
Ashley Hicks
“Mr. Rivas is a dedicated teacher who is committed to educating students. He has a long history of public service, teaching, and working with youth. He tutors young people, started a track and field club for students, transports senior citizens to medical appointments, and volunteers at the Atlanta Food Bank. Mr. Rivas has a heart for teaching and is committed to improving the lives of students.”
Stephon Rivas6th Grade Math Teacher, DeKalb International School
Stephon Rivas
"Mrs. Dillon's classroom exudes innovation. Her students use underwater robotics to learn science, technology, engineering, and math.  When you walk into Mrs. Dillon’s room, the first thing you observe is students collaborating and communicating about issues our world is facing. She knocks down the walls of her classroom by taking her students on learning adventures and connecting them with industry professionals and organizations."
Raegan DillonMiddle School Engineering & Robotics Teacher, STEM Academy at Bartlett
Raegan Dillon
"Mr. Chatman puts forth every effort to optimize his students’ engagement in math by developing interesting and engaging hands-on lessons that are authentic to real life experiences. I refer to his teaching style as everyday math excursions. He takes students on mathematical explorations in order to solve, expound on, and/or create math language problems (numeracy) that fit the particular ‘outside of the classroom’ experience and/or excursion."
Anthony Chatman 7th Grade Math Teacher, Dublin Middle School
Anthony Chatman
"Coach Hobbs goes above and beyond to ensure her students grow and learn. She uses creative ways to keep the students engaged through games, teams, activities and interactive lessons. She sets high expectations for the students and pushes them to reach their potential. Her door is always open to students and fellow teachers in need of her help. She believes every student can learn and will do whatever it takes to reach those considered unreachable. Her test scores reflect the students’ hard work and perseverance she expects and guides in her classroom."
Brittany Hobbs High School Math Teahcer, Treutlen County High School
Brittany Hobbs
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Recognize a Teacher

Complete our brief form to nominate a teacher to be recognized for their unique and innovative ways of engaging and inspiring students. 

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Apply for an Innovation Grant

We invite teachers to apply for a Teacher Grants for Innovation award to help bring your creative ideas for your classroom to life.

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Educating for Tomorrow

About Georgia Teachers Initiative

As Atlanta gets set to host the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, the impact of the game extends far beyond the field and into the community. The Atlanta Football Host Committee (AFHC) and the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF), in partnership with the Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE) have created a comprehensive strategy to support, engage, connect, and provide resources to Georgia’s PreK-12 teachers through a newly developed statewide platform, Georgia Teachers Initiative. Our collective purpose in developing the Georgia Teachers Initiative is to empower teachers and inspire our community to support the education workforce.

Georgia Foundation for Public Education
Extra Yard for Teachers
Atlanta Football Host Committee 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

As Atlanta prepares to host the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Atlanta Football Host Committee in partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF) work closely to identify high-need areas where positive impact can be created. After speaking with partners in the region, we collectively decided to develop the statewide platform, Georgia Teachers Initiative, which is in line with the work CFPF has done year in and year out. We are honored to have a chance to positively impact educators as we prepare to host the biggest event in college football. 

Contribute to the PEACH Education Tax Credit to support the initiative and in return receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your Georgia state income taxes. If you are District Staff, School Leader, School Faculty, or another member of a Georgia school community, you can also nominate a teacher who is innovating in the classroom to receive special recognition and a monetary award.
A program granted to Georgians by our legislature that allows individuals and corporations to play a vital role in spurring innovation in Georgia schools while receiving a 100% state income tax credit for their contribution to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education.

Get in Touch

Have a question or idea to support Georgia’s teachers? Let us know about it.
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Join our online community to stay up-to-date on the latest updates, including grant opportunities, events, giveaways, and more! 

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