IIa pledges $5,000 to Education Foundation grants program

Information International Associates Inc., or IIa, has pledged $5,000 to the “Making the Critical Difference” campaign conducted by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation. Bonnie Carroll, IIa chief executive officer and founder, and Kelly Callison, the company’s chief operating officer, recently presented the foundation with a $1,000 annual payment toward the pledge.

The Education Foundation is conducting the campaign to raise $500,000 for grant awards to teachers throughout the Oak Ridge schools, aiming to present $100,000 in grants each year for five years. The Foundation’s board believes that these grants have a strong supporting role in sustaining the tradition of excellence in Oak Ridge schools, as well as rewarding teachers for innovative ideas.

“Oak Ridge schools are one of the city’s most important assets, attracting families to our community and providing the highest quality education for the next generation,” Carroll said. “IIa is pleased to support the expanded grants program, which helps teachers with creative ideas to bring additional resources to their classrooms.”

The Education Foundation awards grants, most in the range of $500 to $5,000, on a competitive basis each spring in response to proposals submitted by teachers and approved by the schools administration and the Foundation board. Since 2005, the Foundation’s annual competitive grants program has awarded more than $408,000 to more than 100 teachers. Those grants, however, have funded only about one-third of the proposals from Oak Ridge teachers.

IIa is celebrating its 25th year in business this year, and the company provides solutions in information technology, knowledge management, and data exploitation to support information and mission requirements for customers in the federal government and commercial markets. Headquartered in Oak Ridge, IIa has grown to include 10 national and international locations with more than 160 employees.

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is seeking the community’s help in ensuring that annual grant awards continue to support teachers and students. Those interested in learning more about the campaign or in making a donation may call (865) 241-3667 or contact Lila Metcalf, the Foundation’s executive director, at [email protected].

The Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000, and it provides funds beyond public tax dollars for education, raising funds through grants and private donations to invest in enhanced educational programming, innovative technology, and state-of-the-art facilities for teachers and students.