Just a little over a month ago, the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation gifted the Hall County School District with $2.2 million to create a partnership with the district's Early College Program and to honor the school system's Teacher of The Year. Wednesday, the very first celebration of the new partnership was held at The Oaks at Lanier College & Career Academy.
Part of the partnership is the donation of $200,000 to sponsor a banquet for the next 10 years to honor educators in the district who are selected to serve as the district Teacher of the Year.
In the future, the Hall County Schools District winner, who goes on to compete for the honor of State Teacher of the Year, will be announced at the annual event and will receive an award from the Ivester Foundation in the amount of $10,000.
The 2019 award winner, Frank Zamora from Johnson High School, was selected for the honor before the Ivester Foundation made the announcement of the financial award. On Wednesday, Zamora, a Top 10 Finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year, became the first recipient of the $10,000 gift.
"This has been an amazing journey for my family and me, from being named the Hall County District Teacher of the Year and Top 10 finalist in the state, to now being the first recipient of the annual $10,000 award," Zamora said in a press statement. "I am truly blessed to receive such a generous gift. This is evidence that Hall County is a community of caring individuals willing to pour into the hearts of others. I hope to continue to touch the lives of many students in honor of all those who continue to pour into me."
Following the banquet, Zamora said he has not yet decided what he'll do with the $10,000, but he said it's possible he and his family might establish a scholarship of some sort.
The bulk of the financial gift will support the school system’s Early College Campus, the site of a dual enrollment program that works with Lanier Technical College, the University of North Georgia and Brenau University. Students who participate can earn college credits while pursuing a high school diploma. The donation will be utilized to enhance the medical sciences facilities, expand program accessibility to Hall County residents, and provide operational support to the entire Early College Program.
The campus, now known as The Howard E. Ivester Early College, is named in memory of Douglas Ivester's father, who was known in the Hall County community as "Buck." He served as president of the North Hall PTA and was an avid supporter of education, specifically the Hall County School District. An employee of the Milliken Company and New Holland Mills for 43 years, Howard Ivester served his country during WWII and then attended the local technical school under the GI Bill.
Douglas Ivester said the honor of having his father’s name associated with the Early College was "unsurpassed" and that given an option of where to invest, Howard Ivester would have undoubtedly chosen education.
"My dad would have also taken great pride in each student’s achievement and he would have been their biggest cheerleader,” he said.
