Dozens of Georgia teachers receive $500 grants from James Patterson, Scholastic Book Clubs

ATLANTA — Several Georgia educator are among thousands of schoolteachers who will receive $500 grants from author James Patterson to help students build reading skills, especially as schools struggle to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Whether students are learning virtually at home or in the classroom, the importance of keeping them reading cannot be underscored enough,” Patterson said in a statement Tuesday.

The grant program is administered by Patterson and by Scholastic Book Clubs, which will provide teachers 500 club points to go with the $500 from Patterson. Out of more than 100,000 applicants, 5,000 teachers will receive grants and club points.

Some of the teachers include:

• Ansleigh Baxter from Kedron Elementary School in Peachtree City
• Alyson Boyles from Bennetts Mill Middle School in Fayetteville
• Kasey Brindle from Nickajack Elementary in Smyrna
• Lisa Brown from Paul J. Blackwell Learning Center in Elberton
• Maryanna Brown from Callaway Elementary in Lagrange
• Thomas Bruno from South Douglas Elementary in Douglasville
• Jennifer Bryant from Allgood Elementary in Dallas
• Leslie Cleveland from Cherokee Elementary in Cedartown
• Kelly Collins from Wilson Creek Elementary School in Johns Creek
• Melissa Collins from Union County Primary School in Blairsville
• BreAundra Davis from New Manchester Elementary in Douglasville
• Sarah Dell from Winder Elementary School in Winder
• Kaitlyn Duffey from Putnam Primary School in Eatonton
• Amanda Ernst from The Sunshine House in Loganville
• Megan Fannon from Our Lady Of The Assumption Catholic School in Brookhaven
• Tamara Freeman from Eastside Elementary in Dalton
• Paris Garrett from Covenant Christian School in Smyrna
• Andrea Gartell from Cherokee Academy of Clayton in Canton
• Jessica Gaskin from Baggett Elementary School in Lawrenceville
• Kristine Goens from Parkside elementary in Atlanta
• Lesley Hatcher from Rome Middle School in Rome
• Laura Hernandez from Hightower Elementary in Doraville
• Mitzi Howell from Friendship Elementary in Buford
• Amanda Hudgins from Mission Point Preschool in Canton
• Kyra Ingram from B.C. Haynie Elementary in Morrow
• Tamar Kapner from Toney Elementary in Decatur
• Julie King from Annette Winn Elementary School in Lithia Springs
• Sarah Kinney from Monroe Elementary in Monroe
• Kyung Lee from Charles Brant Chesney Elementary School in Duluth
• Stacey Levantis from Hickory Flat UMC Preschool and Kindergarten in Canton
• Kara Long from Settles Bridge Elementary in Suwanee
• Marlena Lynch from Barnett Shoals Elementary School in Athens
• Jennifer Martin from Atha Road Elementary in Monroe
• Lauren Mattes from Sanders Elementary School in Austell
• Tammy McCluskey from Walton Creative Learning in Monroe
• Hyun Soon McGee from Chesney Elementary School in Duluth
• Beth Mcleroy from Lafayette Christian School in Lagrange
• Ashley Michalenko from House Elementary in Conyers
• Yesenia Miele from Level Creek Elementary in Suwanee
• Jessica Molter from Kelly Mill Elementary in Cumming
• Jenny Moore from Cartersville Elementary School in Cartersville
• Alice Morley from Mount Zion Elementary in Carrollton
• Mary Helen Mueller from Rome Middle School in Rome
• Kaitlyn Murphy from Midway Elementary School in Alpharetta
• Lisa Noel from Mason Elementary School in Duluth
• Lindsey Norton from Rome Middle School in Rome
• Jill Parker from Big Shanty in Kennesaw
• Tim Schmitt from McEver Arts Academy in Gainesville
• Marquita Self from K.B. Sutton Elementary in Forsyth
• Joy Sims from Sardis Enrichment School in Gainesville
• Mirella Sinclair from Briarlake Elementary in Decatur
• Wendy Smallwood from Spout Springs School of Enrichment in Flowery Branch
• Tricia Smith from Childcare Network in Acworth
• Emily Spears from Centennial Academy in Atlanta
• Christa Stubbs from Upson-Lee Primary School in Thomaston
• Suzann Sumner from Redan Elementary School in Lithonia
• Lisa Taylor from Livingston Elementary in Covington
• Heather Thorpe from Fort Daniel Elementary in Dacula
• Natalie Tubb from Frey Elementary School in Acworth
• Laurice Walker from Cooper Carver Elementary School in Dawson
• Melanie Walsh from Freeman’s Mill Elementary in Lawrenceville
• Tonya Wells from Cartersville Primary School in Cartersville
• Whitney Wilson from East Jackson Elementary School in Commerce
• LaTonja Wright from North Fayette Elementary from Fayetteville
• Vernita Young from Dresden Elementary School in Chamblee
• Lauren Zoeckler from Stark Elementary School in Jackson

LOOK AT THE FULL LIST HERE

Tuesday’s announcement marks the sixth installment in the Patterson Partnership for building home and school libraries. Patterson, one of the world’s best-selling novelists, has given more than $11 million to teachers, along with millions he has given to bookstores, libraries and literacy organizations.

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