8th grader wins $10,000 grand prize in annual Duck Dive for Education drawing

She experienced just gotten back again to her classroom following the finish of the day when she saw an email from Hannah Samples, the district’s communications facilitator, telling her they had the profitable duck.

“This is not an April Fool’s joke, correct?” she remembers inquiring her scholar trainer. “This is genuinely taking place.”

Soon after a second of disbelief, Michelle ran into the hallway, yelling, “We won $10,000!”

“I was freaking out,” Michelle claimed, laughing.

On the way house, she stopped to decide up balloons and cookies and fulfill her son at his bus cease to surprise him with the information.

But when she advised him he experienced gained $10,000, he seemed much more fascinated in the cookies she was keeping.

“I don’t consider he even registered,” Michelle said. “In an eighth grader’s brain, it’s like what does $10,000 suggest?”

But considering the fact that Seth won the prize, she is organizing to put the funds into his higher education fund. Soon after telling him his first calendar year of college or university would be compensated for, she stated he seemed a lot extra enthusiastic.

Michelle hardly ever expected they would get, and she claimed she experienced essentially forgotten she adopted the ducks in advance of.

She remembers determining on a whim when introducing revenue to the family’s school lunch accounts that she would adopt three rubber ducks — one for her and two for each and every of her sons.

“Best $30 I have ever spent in my lifestyle,” Michelle explained.

Bearden claimed the remaining funds donated by the community and nearby sponsors will go to the Forsyth Education Basis, which invests donations immediately back again into the educational facilities as a result of grants.

A fund of the North Georgia Community Basis, the Instruction Basis has provided $355,000 in grants to educational institutions in the county since 2016 to assist support impressive educating and mastering that is not generally covered by the district’s running spending plan.

Evan Profeta, president of the foundation’s governing board, mentioned this funding, coupled with passionate teachers, straight gains students and the group. All round, he stated the basis has impacted virtually 76,000 college students in the county.

“Because of the initiatives of this year’s fundraiser, we’re likely to be equipped to affect even extra learners,” Profeta said.

Applications for these faculty grants will open up right after spring break on Monday, April 11.

Bearden also took a moment to thank the 39 neighborhood enterprises and firms who sponsored the Duck Dive this calendar year.

“We are so thankful for every single of you and your commitment to Forsyth County Faculties,” Bearden explained.

The drive’s top rated sponsors were Bryan Qualities and Automation Direct, donating $10,000 each to the foundation. Bearden mentioned these sponsors have labored to support the university system for numerous several years, giving aid to profession tech systems and a lot of personal educational facilities exactly where required.

For additional facts on the Forsyth County Education and learning Foundation and the school grants, stop by www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/edfoundation.