McDonald’s owners and operators across the state of Florida and South Georgia selected 27 deserving educators and individuals who represent programs and organizations that fuel the imagination, education and growth of students, as recipients of a Golden Grant. $100,000 is being allocated to various teachers and organizations to positively impact the lives of thousands of students.
“The hard work of teachers and community leaders on behalf of our students is immensely appreciated. The Golden Grants program is a great opportunity to support educators that impact our next generation of leaders,” said Ania Nitzsche, president of the Central Florida Business Unit. “Our youth are vital to the pulse of our communities and we recognize the importance of supporting education in our neighborhoods.”
This year, 10 Golden Grants were awarded based on creativity, innovation, need and hands-on application of projects in Central Florida. The winners are:
- $10,000 – Tracey Keim, Green Devils Closet Program, St. Petersburg High School
- $5,000 – Cynthia Rolewski, Burgers and Books Family Literacy Program, Robert A. Prine Elementary School
- $5,000 – Melissa E. Grabowski, The Wheels on the Bus go to Colleges Program, Stone Magnet Middle School
- $5,000 – Teresa Jabbari, New Teacher Laptops Project, Jefferson Middle School
- $2,500 – Stinette Benton, Dolphin Cove Program, Blue Lake Elementary
- $2,500 – Danielle Quintino, Raise our School and Student Scores Project, Ridge Community High School
- $2,500 – Andrew Hayes, Connecting Marine Science Students to the Everglades Program, Osceola High School
- $2,500 – Alexis Vaughn, Golden Crew of Alternative Education Program, Volusia County Schools
- $2,500 – Shelby Jares, Visual Science Support Program, Partin Settlement Elementary School
- $2,500 – Melissa MacGregor, Team Sports Program, Lincoln Memorial Middle School
Activities that qualified for a Golden Grant include arts and crafts programs, education initiatives, mentorship and empowerment programs, after-school programs, community service outreach, sporting programs, technology and COVID-19 relief efforts.
