This past Monday the Autauga Education Foundation held its 15th annual 2019 A+ Banquet at the Marriott Legends Conference Center with guest speaker Troy Head Coach Chip Lindsey. Coach Lindsey sat down with one of the Foundation's Board of Directors, Dean Argo for a question and answer session discussing his plans for the Trojan football program. The Autauga Education Foundation's vision is for Autauga County Schools is to have sufficient funding and community support to attract and support excellent teachers, promote outstanding student academic achievement and character development, and strengthen the region's economic vitality and reputation. With the over $40,000 raised for the event through table sponsorships and a silent auction, the Foundation has raised over $400,000 which has been awarded throughout the Autauga County School system in the form of grants.

Prattville, AL – The Autauga Education Foundation (AEF) held a Grant Reception on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation awarded over $12,000 for 14 different programs and/or projects to schools in the Autauga County School System on #GivingTuesday. AEF is a nonprofit organization that provides sustainable resources and builds community support to ensure academic excellence and strong character development in Autauga County Schools. The Foundation is a separate and independent organization that works in concert with the Autauga County School System to provide support for its goals and objectives. Since the Foundation’s establishment in 1995, over $385,000 has been granted to Autauga County District Schools, enhancing educational programs and student experiences throughout the county. Classroom, school, and/or departmental innovative projects are made possible by the generosity of our many community partners and sponsors through our annual A+ Banquet, our Membership Program, and Payroll Deduction. Contributions support AEF’s education grants throughout the district allowing the next generation of outstanding teachers to enhance local education and inspire future students. The Autauga Education Foundation helps to develop and provide opportunities for local governments, businesses, individuals and philanthropic foundations to become actively engaged as ambassadors and investors in our county school system. If you or your business would like to partner with AEF to make a greater impact, please visit www.autaugaef.org or for more information call 334-312-7047. Autauga Education Foundation 2018 Grant Recipients Autauga County Tech Center–Ms. Donna Strickland and Ms. Amy Cruise In partnership with Baptist Health and Southern Orthopaedic Surgeons, 24 stethoscopes and an EKG machine were awarded to provide a more engaging clinical experience within the Health Science Internship Program, allowing for enhanced learning and participation, as well as future career readiness. Autauga County Tech Center-Mr. John Cooper For “ACTC Engineering Dobot”, to purchase 1 new robotic arm system to replace and update current technology allowing students the opportunity to learn how to set up, program, and maintain a sophisticated piece of manufacturing equipment and have hands-on experience with multiple real-world applications. These “arms” run on the same operating systems as industrial robotic arms currently used in manufacturing facilities in our area. Autaugaville School-Ms. Susan Butts For Eagles Landing, to purchase and install a new playground for their students to engage the mind and encourage the imagination of all students in a safe and caring environment; improving student morale, health and fitness, and academic focus. They will be breaking ground on this project soon! Pine Level- Ms. Laura Fennell For STEM Bins Creation Station, to set up a station in the room with quick tasks and time constraints that can be completed by students individually or in a group setting with a primary focus on engineering and math that are a creative and developmentally appropriate form of engineering for elementary students. Prattville Elementary School- Ms. Jana Wood For 4th Grade Novel Studies, to purchase a variety of classroom novel sets to be used in novel studies, providing students the opportunity to read engaging texts and carry on lively discussions about character relationships, plots, predications, and much more…developing life-long readers! Prattville Elementary School- Mrs. Kacey Powell For A Multitasking Cart for an Efficient and Secure Classroom, providing for secure storage of delicate classroom technology allowing for mobility within the classroom, as well as between classrooms for pair teacher, ensuring the longevity of this technological equipment and teaching responsibility within a learning community. Prattville Junior High School- Dr. Janie Jones For Keep Up, providing each of the eighth grade English teachers with 2 Chromebooks to keep in his/her classroom for student use, allowing students who need to make up work, need accommodations or modifications, and/or need extended time for technology assignments a way to “Keep Up, ensuring equal opportunity for learning with each student. Prattville Junior High School- Mrs. Caitlyn Denney For a Sensory Room, to provide a safe place for students who have moderate to severe disabilities, the benefit of a safe place to unwind and satisfy their over or under stimulation needs. The room will help regulate their sensory needs, helping them to focus better in the classroom on academics and assignments. Prattville Junior High School- Coach Stein and Mrs. Kali Friday For Learning Around the Classroom, providing a Mobi board where math teachers, with the use of this Bluetooth writing tool, can work problems that display on the SmartBoard from anywhere in their room…allowing teacher mobility to better supervise each and every student, as well as increasing student interaction and participation when students utilize the tool within class instruction. Prattville Junior High School- Ms. Kristle Sandlin For From Green Screen to Big Screen, to purchase apps that would allow video recording, audio production, green screen transformation, and more for (3) 7 the grade Journalism classes where students can broadcast and publish their journalism products in a variety of ways instantaneously. Prattville Junior High School- Dr. Amanda Gonzales-Jackson For Genes and Molecular Machines, to help purchase a kit allowing students to explore the different ways that organisms reproduce and what that means for their genetics. Students will learn how traits are handed down from one generation to the next by studying zebrafish, protists, and humans. Second Chance-Ms. Marchieta Owens In partnership with IT Solutions, a projector and e-beam for installation for the elementary unit were awarded. This technology will help build a good foundation for the younger students. Marbury High School- Mrs. Leisa Lee For Jobs that Matter!, to provide janitorial equipment and supplies for training our students to be viable work candidates, allowing students from the self-contained special needs class the ability to take care for themselves and their homes and to gain independent work skills. Having their “own”, familiar supplies to train will help to develop skills that can begin to transfer to community-based jobs, beginning their vocational training, and even supervised employment. Autauga County Special Education Preschool Services- Ms. April Baker For Read with Me, to help purchase materials to use with non-verbal and speech and language delayed students during their speech therapy sessions to foster language development, improving a student’s ability to express their wants and needs.