Photo courtesy of Shelby County Schools Education Foundation.
Community Relations Director Kendall Williams, far right, presents the IMPACT the Journey grant to recipients in 2019.
The Shelby County Schools Education Foundation is an organization that works to enhance, support and recognize the 21,000 students and 3,000 employees across the 31 different schools in the district.
“We are the official 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of Shelby County Schools,” Community Relations Director Kendall Williams said.
Williams is the one team member for the organization and spends her days doing a variety of tasks. Out of her office at the Shelby County Schools Instructional Institute in Alabaster, she works to get sponsorships, schedules professional development learning opportunities and hands out checks at schools among a myriad of other duties.
“Everyone is always happy to see me, because I either come with food or money,” Williams said.
While she is employed by Shelby County Schools, her role is separate from the schools. She represents the board of education as both community relations and development director, a dual role she has been in for the past seven years.
The SCSEF, which began in 1992, gives back 98% of all the money it receives to the schools and classrooms. There is a small overhead for supplies and chamber memberships. It is run by a board of 10 volunteers who meet every other month.
Each year, the foundation gives out student grants, teacher grants and school grants. On average, they generate around $200,000 for Shelby County schools, whether through an indirect capacity or from corporate sponsors and other fundraising.
Shelby County employees also support through a payroll deduction for Dollars for Scholars, which helps support professional development, teacher grants, technology advancement and more.
IMAGINE THE JOURNEY
Students in sixth through 12th grades can apply for the Imagine grant. It can be for anything that will enhance their educational experience. The amount can be up to $500 for a student or up to $1,000 for a group of students.
“Their ideas have made it flourish,” Williams said. “We’ve had the marketing and media group at one of the high schools get new equipment. A debate team got new blazers to wear to their competitions.” Two to three student grants are given each year.
INSPIRE THE JOURNEY
For teachers, grants can be up to $1,000 for an individual teacher or $2,000 for a group of teachers. Williams said the foundation has been able to fund technology, general classroom supplies, STEM carts for entire grade levels and books. Teachers grant totals are around $25,000, depending on amounts requested.
IMPACT THE JOURNEY
IMPACT, which stands for innovation, motivation, partnerships and collaborative teaching, is a school grant, the largest one awarding up to $5,000. It has to benefit the school overall, an entire grade level or course or an entire department. One application per school/department is allowed, and the principal or supervisor of the department has to apply for it. Previously awarded was a grant for Google expedition goggles to take students on virtual field trips. Generally, two IMPACT grants are given, one for elementary and one for secondary.
All of the grants are given out once per year. IMPACT and Imagine grants are done in December, and the Inspire grants are in the spring.
ADDITIONAL EFFORTS
“We are growing every year,” Williams said. “We probably get over 150 applications and give out around 30. Each is reviewed and audited, then I go out and give the big checks and surprise the teachers.”
The SCSEF also provides for professional development through national board certification support, teacher mentoring programs, summer study stipends for teachers and various meetings throughout the year.
While giving out the money is fun, Williams said that Teacher of the Year event is her favorite. The celebration has continued to grow, and it’s a night where teachers can come with their families and administrators and be celebrated.
“Teachers work so hard, and they don’t get the recognition they deserve,” she said. “This isn’t fully expressive of what they really do for our kids.”
The foundation’s largest annual fundraiser, Taste of Shelby County — which is typically held in September at the Inverness Country Club — had to be canceled because of COVID-19. Instead, golden tickets to local restaurants were sold in October for $25, giving buyers a discount to participating restaurants. Depending on how things progress with the pandemic, Williams said the ideal scenario would be to hold the in-person event and silent auction in February.
This year, the foundation, with help from partnerships, added water bottle filling stations to the 17 schools that didn’t have them to provide teachers and students a safe and healthy place to get water throughout the day.
Also, through the Community Health Foundation of Shelby County, the SCSEF provides supplies to all the nurses stations at all the schools. This year, they used a different approach and are purchasing from district level instead of each individual school, which allows them to provide more PPE to all of the schools.
For more information on the SCSEF or to donate, visit shelbyedfoundation.org.
