WHAT BEGAN as a small gathering of people, at the request of director of schools Amie Lonas, in late 2016, soon expanded to a large group of business people, professionals, and community leaders to establish an educational foundation that would support the Franklin County School System with big and bold educational enrichment opportunities, not funded by state and local revenues, for all students in the Franklin County School System. In 2017, after much discussion and planning, the Franklin County Foundation for Excellence was established. Retired Chancellor Jeff Stewart and Alex Barnett are two of those people.
The foundation provides educational funding opportunities and resources to Franklin County public schools through grants and donations. This nonprofit organization has been granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3). The foundation’s all-volunteer board of directors is committed to fundraising initiatives that promote the learning of all students from pre-K to 12th grade in the Franklin County School System.
To successfully expand upon basic learning principles, the organization integrated “art and reading” into the core principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), calling it Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, and Math (STREAM). In 2018, Nissan donated monies providing the foundation with the means to purchase a van. Thanks to generous donations from other businesses and individuals in the community, the foundation was able to give the van an exciting exterior and make it an exceptional learning tool by stocking it with resources to support the students’ learning endeavors. Some examples include Ozobots, Spheros, coding mice and Botley bots, electrical snap circuit boards, straw rockets and launchers, balloon car kits, and do-it-yourself microscopes. Also available are classroom sets of virtual goggles, which one fifth-grade teacher used to wrap up a space unit with a virtual trip to the sun. Students were able to see the asteroid belt, stars, planets, and constellations in 3D. The van services eight elementary schools in the school system, where teachers can access the collection of STREAM tools and training on how to use them.
The foundation recently awarded innovative teachers $15,000 in grants to support their classroom students — from “Student White Boards” to “Building Ukuleles.” One of the foundation teacher grants was awarded to Huntland’s hydroponics STEM class to support their growing and selling of microgreens to area restaurants. The foundation further invested in music endeavors through a $5000 grant and purchased wireless microphones for student performances. In April, the foundation gave $15,000 to purchase band instruments for middle and high school students to help combat the nationwide epidemic of limited school system funding.
Through the Educational Foundation for Excellence, Stewart, Barnett, and the other foundation board of directors, are carving out a new path in educational funding for generations to come, aligning with their aspiring motto of “Today’s learners… tomorrow’s leaders.”
Stewart, president of the foundation, has a passion for education. He was born and raised here in Franklin County with a strong family background in education. Stewart is passionate about providing the highest quality of education to the children in the community.
Stewart said, “I think, speaking for our entire board of directors, we all have a passion for education and a desire to see all students of Franklin County receive the best educational enrichments we can provide.”
Alex Barnett, vice president of the foundation and an esteemed businessman and partner at Russell Barnett Automotive Family, joined Stewart, helping to create and fund a foundation that soon became an opportunity for all community members to become involved, positively impacting numerous children within the community.
Barnett shares a similar passion for the organization’s cause.
“Our family is a big supporter of all things community. And we have a passion for education. And we want to equip our young people with all the information, all the tools they can have to be well-rounded, and all the things they need to become good students and, in turn, good employees, citizens, and family members.”
Barnett also stated, “You have to think big and beyond. I want people to have big dreams that they can become the best at whatever they want to be. I want to see people reach their goals and become better than they are. And always becoming better, not being complacent.”
Stewart said, “The funding opportunities require fundraising on an annual basis. This, of course, can be exhausting to accomplish. So, in 2022, the foundation was joined by hall-of-fame coach and Franklin County Schools’ graduate Phillip Fulmer to establish a permanent endowment fund of 1 million dollars to provide an annual source of funding that keeps on giving for years to come. Other school systems’ foundations have done this in Tennessee. We are more than halfway there. In addition, after COVID, we have added an annual “Game Changers” fundraising event hosted by our foundation.”
Stewart and Barnett, on behalf of the foundation, want to thank all those who have made this endeavor for Franklin County students a reality. GN
