Leaders Education Foundation Awards $10,000 to Area Educators

December 18, 2020



Leaders Education Foundation, a non-profit 501C-3 formed by Leaders Credit Union, is pleased to award ten West Tennessee educators with the L.E.A.D.S. Educator Grant. This program awards ten $1,000 grants to area educators whose initiatives empower students to Learn, Experience, Advocate, Dream, and Serve.


“The L.E.A.D.S. Educator Grant embodies who we are as an organization because we are here to serve, advocate and educate our members and allow them to dream of a new future,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, President of Leaders Education Foundation. “Especially in 2020, we are proud to support educators as they navigate through an uncertain school year.”


Grant proposals range from funds for agriculture livestock pasture, a virtual field trip, band program equipment, to funding for a school broadcasting drone. Grant submissions included a short video explaining the need and use of the grant money. Twelve proposals were submitted, and the top ten winners were chosen by the community via social media voting. Winners include:



  • Kyle Gehring, Bradford High School
    • Grant Project: Bradford Agriculture Livestock Pasture



  • David Sinclair, South Side High School
    • Grant Project: Band iPad



  • Sarah Hubbard, Elmore Park Middle School
    • Grant Project: Podcast Recording Equipment



  • Callie Dollar, Community Montessori School
    • Grant Project: Virtual Field Trip to Jamestown, Virginia



  • Angela Searcy, Jackson Madison County Schools
    • Grant Project: Student Study Spots



  • Matthew Barker, Freed Hardeman University
    • Grant Project: Class Fundraiser Campaign


  • Todd Lewis, Chester County Schools
    • Grant Project: Eagle Vision Network Drone Project



  • Linda Lane, Madison Academic High School
    • Grant Project: Madison’s Academic Decathlon



  • Brittany Fowler, West Carroll Elementary School
    • Grant Project: Robots in the Classroom



  • Nathan Lewis, JCM Early College High School
    • Grant Project: Books for Scholars


    “We’ve been amazed with each grant submission we received,” Bentley said. “Success is in the power of people helping people, and we plan to continue to lead the way.”


    About Leaders Education Foundation

    Leaders Education Foundation is as a non-profit 501c3 organization based in Jackson, Tenn. Established in 2019, the Foundation allows community-minded citizens, members, and organizations to unite to makes lives better together. The Foundation invests back into the local community through scholarships, grants, and financial literacy resources to provide educational opportunities promoting workforce development, job enhancement, lifelong learning, and training for students, teachers, and our community. For more information about Leaders Education Foundation, please visit its website.