SONIC’s Limeades for Learning initiative makes a difference in public schools across the country through the brand’s partnership with nonprofit DonorsChoose, to which the SONIC Foundation provides funding throughout the year in support of public school teachers and the great projects they’re creating in their classrooms. To share their innovative approaches to education, we’re spotlighting an educator each month to showcase the different ways they’re enriching their schools and communities.
Ted Newfield is a high school teacher who has been educating students in Tampa, Florida for more than seven years. He was inspired to become a teacher at an early age. “My mother, grandmother, and those that have taught me in the past all encouraged me to become a teacher,” he says. “You can’t create a better society without first sharing what you’ve learned with the next generation.”
Today, Ted teaches a variety of subjects including Computer Science, Game and Simulations, Finance, and Marketing. No matter the class, he encourages everyone to move forward with the mindset that anything is possible – and that includes other teachers, too. “Keep pushing the envelope,” says Ted. “I try to bring new events, experiences, and opportunities to all my students. Continue to push forward, and your students will rise with you.”
To continue creating these opportunities, Ted says community support is vital. “Working with surrounding businesses has been so beneficial,” he says. “Students will be in the workforce soon. Businesses who engage with schools by donating time or money help forge important relationships for the future.”
That includes donations made through DonorsChoose, a platform that connects individuals and businesses with a community of teachers seeking funding for classroom projects. “Some teachers will say technology is the most important funding you can help with – and I concur – but simple projects requesting hygienic supplies or paper products are just as needed.”
Are you a teacher interested in securing funding through DonorsChoose? Visit donorschoose.org/teachers. To learn more about SONIC’s Limeades for Learning, visit foundation.sonicedrivein.com.
This story is part of an ongoing series.
