Valdosta North Rotary Club is proud to announce Kim Bearden, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy, Disney’s American Teacher of the Year and the author of the best selling book, “Crash Course: Life Lessons My Students Taught Me”, will be guest speaking at the Valdosta North Rotaries’ third annual Teacher of the Year Banquet.  The event will be held on September 8th, 2015, at the Valdosta State University Student Union Ballroom, with dinner starting promptly at 6:15pm.  The goal for the event is simple: to celebrate, honor, and support our public school educators in the Lowndes County and Valdosta City School Systems. Specifically, the Valdosta North Rotary Club will be honoring the Teacher of the Year for both the Lowndes County and Valdosta City school systems, as well as the Teacher of the Year nominees from all the respective County and City schools.  All net proceeds raised by the event will be donated to the school systems on a 50/50 basis to help fund specific projects designated by their respective systems. 

Kim Bearden delivers inspiring keynote messages to thousands of educators each year. As the co-founder, executive director and language arts teacher of the Ron Clark Academy, she is active daily in all aspects of the educational process. With a teaching career spanning almost thirty years, she has been a teacher, instructional lead teacher, curriculum director, school board member, staff development trainer and middle school principal.

Bearden has received numerous awards for her creative and dynamic teaching styles. She was chosen from over 70,000 nominations to be honored as the Disney American Teacher Awards Outstanding Middle School Humanities Teacher. The Milken Family Foundation selected her as one of 155 teachers from across the nation to receive the Award for Excellence in Education, and she was the chosen from among 7000 teachers as Teacher of the Year in Cobb County, Georgia. Women Works Media Group named her one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Women.

Valdosta North Rotary Club cordially invites you to join us in celebrating our teachers! Please find enclosed a form with information on sponsorship opportunities and additional information about the event.

Thank you for considering partnering with Valdosta North Rotary Club for this special evening honoring and supporting our teachers.