Fourteen first-year teachers in Alabama schools have received $1,000 grants for classroom materials and supplies from the Alabama Power Foundation.

“These grants provide crucial support for first-year teachers all over our state and we are especially grateful to the Alabama Power Foundation for providing this needful investment in our educators,” said Milla Boschung, dean of the University Alabama’s College of Human Environmental Sciences. Boschung chairs the foundation’s new teacher grant committee.  

The foundation has been providing new teacher grants since 1995. “Our educators have a critical role in preparing leaders of tomorrow and we are honored to assist them by providing these grants,” said Foundation President John Hudson.

Grant candidates were submitted by the state’s education programs. Winners were selected by a committee that included education administrators. Each winner graduated from a state-approved teacher program at an Alabama public four-year college or university.

Here are the grant winners, the schools where they teach and the colleges where they earned their degrees:

• Sara Arsman, McDonnell Elementary – Athens State University
• Annette Chambers, Oliver Elementary – Troy University      
• James (Jake) Craft, Burkette Center – University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Kristan Etheridge, Griggs Elementary – University of South Alabama                                
• Kristin Flannagan, Deshler High – University of North Alabama                                                                                                                   
• Jake Green, Piedmont High – Jacksonville State University   
• Christopher Johnson, Davis-Emerson Middle – University of Alabama  
• Ella Johnson, Marbury High – Auburn University Montgomery        
• Shannon Lee, Clanton Elementary – University of Montevallo            
• Loryn Lemberg, Buckhorn High – University of Alabama in Huntsville    
• Nicole Mitchell, W.F. Burns Middle – Auburn University
• Reginald Pearson, Westlawn Middle – Alabama A&M University
• Bobby Jay Sparks, Payne Elementary – Alabama State University
• Alvin Wiggins, Jerry Lee Faine Elementary – Troy (Dothan Campus)

The Alabama Power Foundation awards more than 1,000 grants annually with non-ratepayer money and has assets of more than $140 million, making it one of the largest corporate foundations in the state. The foundation has given more than $135 million through more than 20,000 grants and scholarships. To learn more about the foundation and how to apply for a grant, visit www.powerofgood.com.