Coca-Cola Foundation Gift

Coca-Cola Foundation Gift Helps the Ron Clark Academy Inspire Educators from Around the World

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Coca Cola Company, has awarded the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) $250,000 to continue to sustain and grow the school’s educator training program.  RCA’s vision is to inspire students from around the world, and equip educators with best practices to transform students’ learning experience.  The Ron Clark Academy Educator Training Program provides a unique, innovative and inspiring professional development alternative for educators.

Every year the Educators Training Program cultivates the skills of 3,000 participants in learning the school’s innovative and creative methods.  Participants represent educators from a variety of different areas such as teachers, principals, superintendents and staff from K-12 public schools.  RCA has also had visitors from adult learning programs, early learning centers and private schools.  Program participants learn more about RCA’s innovative and creative methods by observing the execution of best practices during live classes. 

Educators come to RCA for a day-long training session followed by introduction of the school’s philosophy, class visits and workshops conducted by the co-founders and the faculty.  Workshops range from subject-specific teaching techniques to classroom management, student engagement and innovative instructional strategies for tackling challenges in the classroom. 

The Ron Clark Academy Educator Training Program has trained educators from 31 states and 12 countries over the past three years. 

“Since the inception, the training program has functioned as a learning laboratory, offering up its school and classroom for observation to thousands of educators from around the world and training them on our teaching methods.” said Kim Bearden, co-founder and executive director of RCA.  “Coca-Cola Foundation’s gift will continue to help us expand and inspire more educators from around the world.”

Educators still remain connected after training.  All participants are given membership to the Great American Teacher Club (GATC), a virtual educator community and resource portal.  RCA’s faculty and other peer educators regularly update the social professional platform which provides lesson plans, live chats, and webcasts. 

The gift from the Coca-Cola Foundation will assist RCA in expanding and reaching an additional 3,000 educators along with positively impacting their classrooms and student achievement.  The funding will enable RCA to develop and hone the training program, provide more workshops and address the various special needs or interests of visiting schools.