Teachers were sponsored as part of the SONIC Foundation’s ongoing Limeades for Learning initiative to support public education

SONIC Drive-In is committed to supporting teachers and to helping them uncover new and innovative ways to keep students engaged in the classroom. Earlier this month, the SONIC Foundation provided 175 educators from more than 90 public school districts across the country with scholarships to the Ron Clark Academy Experience – an inspiring, two-day training workshop from November 7-8 in Atlanta, where they learned new teaching techniques, innovative strategies, and walked away with a renewed passion for inspiring their students. This individualized support highlights one of the ways the SONIC Foundation invests in improving public education through its Limeades for Learning® initiative, in which a portion of proceeds from every drink purchase is donated to support local schools and teachers across the communities SONIC serves.

In recent years, teacher turnover rates have continued to steadily rise, with 39% of K-12 teachers saying they frequently experience burnout. Of those who are staying in their roles, 44% receive regular coaching and engagement to keep them inspired and focused on their classroom and career goals.* The SONIC Foundation’s goal of sending these 175 educators to the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) workshops was to leave them feeling empowered, uplifted, and supported as they returned home to their schools and students.

“The SONIC Foundation is dedicated to supporting public education and the needs of our teachers, and through our partnership with the Ron Clark Academy, we’ve been able to deepen that connection with educators at a time when they need inspiration and community support more than ever before,” said Stuart Brown, Executive Director of the SONIC Foundation. “Each group of teachers that goes through the Ron Clark Experience leaves feeling changed and inspired after witnessing Ron Clark’s methods to engage his students. The SONIC Foundation is honored to partner with RCA to help create those sparks for educators that they can take back to their classrooms and inspire their own students and communities.”

SONIC has a longstanding history of supporting public education and investing in teacher development, impacting both the short-term and the long-term needs of students and schools. Through the partnership with the RCA, the SONIC Foundation is able to directly help teachers and school administrators across all subject areas and experience levels. The SONIC Foundation sent its first group of 125 educators to RCA this past February, and applications are currently being accepted for the next sponsored two-day training session, which will take place in Atlanta from March 20-21, 2025. Those interested in applying can visit foundation.inspirebrands.com/teacherapplication.

The Ron Clark Academy is a highly acclaimed, nonprofit middle school that doubles as a demonstration school – a place where visiting educators engage in a vibrant professional development experience by observing best practices in action before participating in hands-on workshops. In the past 16 years, more than 150,000 superintendents, district-level administrators, and teachers have participated in the RCA Experience to learn new ways to engage students, promote academic excellence, build relationships, and create a positive classroom culture.

“We are so grateful for the support of dynamic partners like the SONIC Foundation, who share our commitment to empowering educators. Their generosity enables us to provide transformative training experiences that inspire teachers to create meaningful change in their classrooms for their students. We can’t wait to see where this partnership grows,” said Ron Clark, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy.

The SONIC Foundation’s latest Ron Clark Academy sponsored teacher training was made possible in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, who share in the SONIC brand’s mission to support the needs of students and educators.

Guests can join SONIC in supporting teachers and local public schools by ordering their favorite drink at the drive-in. Every time guests purchase a SONIC Drink, Slush, Blast or Shake, SONIC donates a portion of proceeds to the SONIC Foundation, which is used to support public education through Limeades for Learning.** Since 2009, SONIC has donated more than $28 million to fund local classrooms, becoming one of the largest programs to support public education in the U.S.

*Gallup. The State of Schools Report 2024. Available online at https://www.gallup.com/education/608843/state-of-schools-report-2024.aspx. Accessed November 11, 2024.

**SONIC donates a portion of every Drink, Slush, Blast or Shake purchase to the SONIC Foundation, which is used to support local schools across the communities SONIC serves through partners like DonorsChoose. The SONIC Foundation is a division of the Inspire Brands Foundation. For more information about the SONIC Foundation, visit foundation.sonicdrivein.com.