A lunch group raised $56,000 to start it. Now these Columbus teachers are going to Vegas
Thanks to a thoughtful and generous lunch group, five Columbus teachers will attend a national conference to help improve their school’s ability to serve impoverished students.
The Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation announced Tuesday at Dimon Magnet Academy the five 2024 Buntin Scholars, selected out of 15 applicants:
Lola Farley of Kendrick High School
Heidi Holley of South Columbus Elementary School
Carla Jones of Kendrick High School
Michelle Shafer of Lonnie Jackson Academy
Brent Sutherland of Dimon Magnet Academy.
MEEF will pay their expenses to attend the Innovative Schools Summit in Las Vegas from July 8-12. The summit features access to conferences about innovative teaching strategies, school climate and culture, at-risk students and trauma-affected schools.
Four years ago, the foundation announced a $56,000 gift from anonymous members of a lunch group that asked for the money to establish scholarships in honor of retired Muscogee County School District superintendent Jim Buntin, who co-founded MEEF.
But the COVID-19 pandemic prevented that inaugural class of Buntin Scholars from attending the Harvard University Graduate School of Education for a week of professional development. Since then, MEEF has raised thousands of more dollars to fund this class and future Buntin Scholars.
“Highly-qualified, dedicated teachers — especially in high-poverty schools — are instrumental in mitigating the adversities their students face,” MEEF executive director Marquette McKnight said in a news release. “This is a testament to our belief in the power of dedicated educators. Their upcoming experience at the Innovative Schools Summit is tailored to equip them with skills and insights to help their students, thereby maximizing their impact on the students’ academic and personal growth.”
MEEF worked with MCSD to identify qualified schools and nominate qualified teachers to apply for the scholarship.
“The Buntin Scholars are teachers with extraordinary potential,” MCSD superintendent David Lewis said in the news release. “Our rigorous selection process ensures these educators are not only ready to absorb new knowledge but also poised to become teacher leaders in MCSD.”
To be selected, Buntin Scholars must agree to remain classroom teachers in their current school for at least the next five years. They also must agree to share what they learned at the summit with teachers in their school and throughout the district.
MEEF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering educational excellence and honoring teachers who are innovative and exceptionally effective in the public schools of Columbus. In its 28-year history, the foundation has awarded approximately $3.2 million to such educators through the Teacher of the Year, Harvard Fellows and Buntin Scholars programs, as well as grants.
Josh Reynolds, the foundation’s chairman, expressed his gratitude for the donations that fund the Buntin Scholarships.
“This gift is transformative, allowing us to enhance our commitment to excellence in teaching, and recognizing and rewarding exceptional teachers,” Reynolds said in the news release. “We’re immensely thankful for this support that enables us to extend our mission in such impactful ways. When the Buntin Scholars return, they will continue to work with the Harvard Fellows, maximizing their efforts by teaching their colleagues and utilizing their skills and strategies to enhance the learning experience for all students.”
After the announcement, Sutherland told the Ledger-Enquirer he expects the summit to boost his ability to deliver meaningful lessons for his students.
“Everything I learn there, I know I can bring it back here and make it applicable and build it into our STEM program,” he said.
Sutherland, in his 15th year as a teacher, is grateful to everyone who made this opportunity possible.
“For them to do what they’ve done in that way, thousands of dollars, it’s just awesome,” he said. “… It’s a blessing and an honor.”
Buntin, who was MCSD superintendent from 1994-96, told the Ledger-Enquirer he appreciates the tribute from his friends and the positive impact it will make.
“It’s really rewarding from a personal level, certainly, but that’s not the major part of it,” he said. “It’s rewarding to me to know that these teachers are going to get some additional training.”
Buntin considers teaching as the nation’s most important job.
“When you’re teaching children, you’ve got to understand where they come from,” he said. “This program will help them understand that, just how vulnerable our children are, how they are just on the edge.”
