Emmy award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph recently announced her partnership with SONIC Drive-In to provide support for public school teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.
As part of the new partnership, the actress and the food chain will be donating over one million dollars to education initiatives. The SONIC foundation has already announced that, on May 9, they will be donating up to $1.5 million to DonorsChoose, a nonprofit that provides educational resources for public school classrooms, as part of their partnership. As part of their initiative, they will be matching 50% of all donations made to DonorsChoose.
The SONIC Foundation will also donate money to teachers through their SONIC Limeades for Learning initiative. The initiative provides support to public school funding by donating portions of each purchase of a Sonic drink. Over the span of 14 years, the foundation has donated over $24 million in funding to classrooms across the U.S.
“Public school teachers have dedicated their lives to inspiring America’s youth, and we must ensure they have all the tools they need as they shape the hearts and minds of our children,” said Ralph in a public statement. “I’m thrilled to partner with SONIC Drive-In for Teacher Appreciation Week to encourage people to come together and thank our educators by making a small contribution to get them the materials they desperately need.”
The start of the upcoming week marks the official beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week, spanning from May 8 to May 12. Held usually in the beginning of May, the week celebrates teachers across the country by recognizing their impact on students and schools by offering a variety of teacher discounts.
To begin the week, Ralph will be holding a town hall scheduled by the National Education Association on May 7. Through the national event, Ralph will help facilitate discussions about the public school system in the U.S. and what solutions can help fix issues surrounding it. A primary topic at the town hall will also be effective ways that a high, quality and inclusive education can be provided to every student in the U.S.
“This year, we’re joining together to tell teachers that not only do we appreciate them, but we will listen to them, we will stand with them, and together we will take action so that every student has a teacher who feels respected and supported,” said the president of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle, per a press release. “Today’s public school teachers are more than teachers for our students — it’s past time we did more to support them.”
