Pat Calvert, a third grade teacher at Green Acres Elementary School, and Rebecca Kupecky, a Math teacher at South Paulding Middle School , were among 35 of Georgia 's best and brightest new teachers to receive a New Teacher Assistance Grant from Georgia Power. Kevin Fletcher, Georgia Power's vice president of Community and Economic Development, presented the teachers with the grants at an awards luncheon September 13 th at the company's headquarters in Atlanta.

Pirctured from left to right front row:  Jim Gottwald, Anastasia Kupecky, Rebecca Kupecky, and Susan Kupecky. 
Back row from left to right:  Kevin Fletcher, David Connell, Dean Arlinda Eaton, and Bob Kupecky.

Teacher nominations were submitted to Georgia Power by the 17 Georgia public colleges and universities that have a school or college of education. To be eligible for the grant, candidates had to be in the top 25 percent of their class academically, be a first-year teacher employed by a public school in Georgia , and demonstrate a high aptitude for teaching.

Pictured from left to right front row:  Mike Bivens, Pat Calvert, Kim Calvert and Diana Poore. 
Back row from left to right:   Kevin Fletcher, David Connell and Dean Arlinda Eaton

Georgia Power began the program in 2004 as a way to encourage new teachers to stay in the profession and to provide them with much-needed funds to purchase classroom supplies, equipment or materials not provided by their schools.

“Teacher retention continues to be a major challenge in Georgia ,” said Fletcher. “In the next four years, 50 percent of our baby boomer-age teachers will retire. It's criti cal that we hire a significant number of new teachers and give them incentives to stay with the profession.

“The new jobs being created in Georgia require an educated work force, and businesses must lend their support to improving the quality of education to ensure Georgia 's economic viability continues to flourish. This program is Georgia Power's way of telling new teachers that we appreciate their contributions and we hope they will remain committed to the profession.”

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity.  The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia 's 159 counties.