Sun Belt and Coastal football receive Extra Yard gift to aid Horry County schools
by Kevin Davis
The Sun Belt Conference, Coastal Carolina University, and the Coastal football program are excited to announce that Coastal has received a $10,000 gift from the College Football Playoff Foundation and their Extra Yard for Teachers Initiative program.
As part of the CFP Extra Yards for Teacher’s week across the nation, Coastal Carolina University President David A. DeCenzo and Matt Hogue, director of athletics, presented the gift to Horry County Schools’ superintendent Rick Maxey, Ph.D., in an on-field presentation during the home football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, versus Norfolk State.
CCU offered a discounted ticket to all school system employees for the home game versus Norfolk State in appreciation for all that they do for the youth in the community.
The $10,000 gift is to benefit the partnership between the University, Coastal Athletics, and Horry County schools. Horry County schools will use the grant for funding for a new program they are starting called “Rookie Teacher of the Year."
As with the school system’s longstanding Teacher of the Year awards, the Rookie Teacher of the Year nominees would be selected by their peers for the honor. To be eligible for the award, a teacher must be their first three years of teaching in a full-time position, who are currently not eligible for the annual Teacher of the Year program.
In a time when the nation is facing a massive teacher shortage, Horry County is working towards celebrating first-year educators who answered the call to teach. The goal is to celebrate and spotlight the talented and dedicated teachers who have gained the respect of peers and who demonstrate teamwork, creativity, pro-activeness, involvement in campus or district activities/programs, professionalism, pride in school and profession, and above all have a positive impact on students.
The Rookie Teacher of the Year program will begin in January, where schools may select a school-level nominee for the program. From the school-level winners, the Rookie Teacher of the Year selection committee will select five semifinalists in the spring. Teacher interviews will then be conducted and the district winner will be announced in April or May.
The CFP Foundation created the Extra Yard for Teachers Week in 2015 to provide an opportunity for universities, coaches and student-athletes to take part in its mission of elevating the teaching profession through inspiring and empowering educators.