Yesterday marked National Teachers Day—an event held annually in the U.S. to give extra credit to the mighty individuals educating and inspiring students daily. In case you forgot to extend gratitude to your child’s teacher or an old professor who had a deep impact on you, don’t fret—this entire week is celebrated as Teacher Appreciation Week. It marks a well-deserved time of year to honor and recognize teachers' lasting contributions to the community, society and the lives of our children. Students often prepare personal gifts and thank you cards, and events are held in many schools to mark the occasion.

Local philanthropic leaders, such as the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and The Patterson Foundation, have long supported the Sarasota County School District—investing in its teachers to ensure that Sarasota attracts and retains some of the best educators across the state. Collaborative initiatives have helped spawn leadership academies, incentive programs, conferences and workshops, all to ensure that local teachers have the tools they need to be successful. Most notably, the recent efforts with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading—a community-wide effort in Manatee and Sarasota counties to help all children, especially those from low-income families, succeed in school—has done considerably well in leveraging efforts to celebrate, train and reward teachers in our community. 

“This week reminds us of the critical role of our teachers,” says Kirsten Russell, Director of Community Investment at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “They are dedicated and generous with their time—they show up every day, all day. They humbly turn non-readers into readers, creating a love of learning and instilling the belief that every child is a learner. Teaching is the profession that creates all other professions. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County and our other generous foundations support our schools and teachers because they are on the front lines daily—fighting for our children.”

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is proud to partner with SRQ Media Group to highlight stories about community impact powered by philanthropy in our region, thanks to the support of donors and our local nonprofit partners. The Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community.

Community Foundation of Sarasota County