Foundation

Minerva Albernas lives in Hall County and has thirteen years-experience as a K-5 reading and writing paraprofessional for the Migrant Education Program. She wants to work on her certification in Early Childhood Education. She stated that she loved working with the students, but she wanted to take her passion for teaching beyond the Migrant Program. As part of the Migrant Program, she meets with parents to help them get involved in their child’s education from pre-k to college. She mentors new staff in the Program; she is a member of the Hispanic Women Missionary Union of Georgia; she has programs that have speakers to educate and help the community. She said that she and her husband have two children in college, and they have had to take our loans to cover expenses. Many thanks for the scholarship from GREF.

Katie Buckley is a teacher in Muscogee County with a T-4 in music. She has 6 years of experience and is presently teaching general music grades K-5. She wants to work on a master’s in education. She stated that she is a child of a retired educator, and she sees the impact that great educators can have from a variety of perspectives. She has recently lost her first pregnancy and has some medical expenses. She and her husband are saving for her to start her degree. The GRE Foundation will be a tremendous help. Her educational involvement goes beyond the classroom: Blanchard Elementary Leadership Team, Muscogee County School District Teacher Leader Academy, MCSD Fine Arts Collection Team, Georgia Music Educators Association member, and leads the 4th/5th grade chorus of 30 students in weekly after school rehearsals.

HaHaley Brooke Buxton is a paraprofessional in Johnson County. She says that her goal is to become a full-fledged teacher and improve her professional and personal life. She stated that the degree would benefit her family, and she would be a more productive citizen of the community. She is a wife and mother of two young children, and she works full-time as a parapro. It has been ten years since she finished her associates degree, and the GRE Foundation scholarship would relieve some financial woes. She and her family are involved in their church where she serves as a children’s Sunday School teacher, and she is a member of the Women’s Auxiliary. As a parapro she does not sponsor a school club, but she does participate in their activities. The assistant principal said that during her years of service in Johnson County, she has worked with several different kindergarten teachers to provide extra support to our students.

Jamie Calloway of Monroe County is a paraprofessional in grades 9-12. He is in the Middle Georgia RESA TAPP program and plans to work on his teaching certification. He has a varied grade level and subjects experience – Geometry, 10th Literature, Earth Science Theatre, and Horticulture. He states that he wants to be an integral part of all students who enter his classroom – not remain on the periphery of their experience. He and his family are involved in the community in several ways: Best Buddies activities, competition cheerleading, FFA, and Project Soar, and several of these carry over into the school. As an assistant basketball coach, he keeps player statistics and helps keep things organized during games and practices. He stated that the GRE Foundation would be an investment in him and his family and their involvement in the community.

Tyler Henry of Buford, GA has a T-6 in Special Education for grades K-12 and thirteen years-experience. He presently works with the Visually Impaired students. He will be attending Middle Georgia RESA to obtain a visual impairment endorsement. He must pay the $2700 himself and it is not eligible for a student loan or loan forgiveness. His wife must stay at home to care for a son with a medical disability. For this reason, Tyler’s is the only income for the family. In the community he works with youth as a small group leader in his church; he is a tutor volunteer in PATH United – an organization that tutors and serves under-privileged students in mobile home communities. In the school he is a sponsor for Model United Nations and the Y-Club; he has been a member of the Lunch Bunch (ensures that students on the Autism Spectrum have someone to eat lunch with them); he has served as a driver’s education teacher.

Erin Hurst of Dekalb County is in her second year of teaching. She is a kindergarten- ELA and Science teacher with a Bachelor of Science and wants to work on her master’s degree. She stated that she is an avid reader who started her career in industrial design and illustration, then stayed home to raise her children. As they progressed in school, she became more and interested in a career in education. She started as a substitute teacher, and then decided she wanted a career in education. Her goal is to gain knowledge and skills to be an effective reading teacher in today’s society. Her husband has been working with a non-profit in Atlanta but has decided that he wants a business of his own. She serves on many committees in her school and in her community, while being very involved in her children’s activities. She has high recommendations from the school’s principal. She stated that with her husband’s new career and her educational expenses, the GRE Foundation scholarship would be very helpful.

Kimberly Jones of Carrollton, GA said that all her years of teaching she had been as assistant. She states that she thinks that she has much to offer the kindergarten students as a lead teacher and her goal is lead teacher. She has a BA in Economics, but after a marriage of twenty years ended in divorce, she is ready to go back to school and earn her master’s degree. She has been a Cub Scout/Boy Scout leader, helping them earn their badges; she has volunteered with the high school for four years and teaches violin in the elementary school. She said she had not been a student since the 90’s, but by next spring she will have finished the second year of the degree. The assistant principal wrote that her selection for the GRE Foundation Scholarship would not only support her professional development, but also significantly contribute to the advancement of educational excellence within our school and beyond.

Whitney Reita-Alice Phillips is a kindergarten paraprofessional from Coffee County. She has three years-experience and has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood. Her goal is her initial education degree. She is a mother of two and has decided to go back to school and earn her degree. She wants her students and her children to realize that “you can do hard things”. It has been fifteen years since she was in college and is not now eligible for the HOPE scholarship. She states that she is an active member of the Broxton-Mary Hayes Elementary Leadership team and works side-by-side with administrators and teachers to implement new ways of learning. In her community she is secretary of Parent Involved Committee and helps to plan activities for the group. She is a team mom for her son’s travel football team.

 Kiara Monae Pierre is a first-year high school English teacher in Fulton County. She has her Bachelor of Arts degree but wants to work on her initial education degree. Because she is very near in age to her students, she feels that she has valuable knowledge that will enable her to be a bridge for her students. She was involved in many of the activities at college and she is presently serving as the Tri-Cities College and Career Coordinator. In this position she helps students apply for (make sure all the requirements for admission are in and in on time) and get admitted to college. She stated that she had recently moved and was providing for her siblings at home. The GRE Foundation would be a huge help in meeting her college fees.        

 Cheyla Snyder of Lee County has 10 years of experience, 5 in Georgia. She has an Elementary T-4 Provisional certificate and teaches Pre-K. Because her husband was in the military, they moved place to place, and she was never fully certified. She is now in the TAPP program and is working to gain her full teaching certificate in Georgia. She stated that she loved her job in Lee County, but to be able to continue she must be fully certified. She is teaching life-skills to her students through a vegetable garden project. She applied for and received a grant to help purchase needed supplies. She wants to foster a love for gardening and growing and making food by hand. She is presently paying a monthly fee for the TAPP program and admits that the GRE Foundation Scholarship will certainly help to finish her degree and continue in the job she loves.