ATHENS – The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently announced the approval of a grant in the amount of $75,000 to Athens State University. The grant will support the Tying Excellence with Accountability Mentor (TEAM) Program developed by the University’s College of Education to provide support to new classroom teachers and in turn, enable them to provide their students with an environment where they can grow and develop successfully.
Faculty mentors from Athens State University’s College of Education will be paired with 50 primary school teachers in order to provide support, guidance, resources, and feedback on teacher performance and the learning environment. This project will serve Limestone and Morgan counties, currently designated by ARC as transitional. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $75,000, bringing the total project funding to $150,000.
“This award is special in that it gives us the opportunity to connect with new classroom teachers in Limestone and Morgan Counties,” said Dr. Jackie Smith, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Athens State. “I would like to thank Dr. Darlene Turner-White in our College of Education for her tireless work to bring this mentoring project to fruition.”
The ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia and help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. More information is available at www.arc.gov.
Media Release/Athens State University/Guy McClure
