Extra Yard For Teachers Grant Recipients To Be Recognized At Halftime
8/31/2026 10:00:00 AM | APEX
STATESBORO – For the sixth consecutive year, Georgia Southern Athletics will partner with the College Football Playoff Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers initiative to recognize and celebrate outstanding educators from across the region.
As part of Extra Yard for Teacher Appreciation 2026, Georgia Southern Athletics will honor 15 teachers during halftime of Saturday's football game against Charleston Southern at Paulson Stadium. Each educator will receive a $500 grant to support classroom initiatives, made possible through a $7,000 partnership grant from the Sun Belt Conference and the College Football Playoff Foundation.
The CFP Foundation's primary platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, works to elevate the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering educators through programs focused on four key areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development.
The 15 educators were selected from more than 150 applicants representing Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties. The grants will support a variety of classroom projects designed to enhance learning experiences and provide students with additional educational opportunities.
"It is an honor to recognize these outstanding educators and celebrate the tremendous impact they make in the lives of their students every day," Senior Associate Athletics Director Gleen Hart said. "We are excited to partner with the College Football Playoff Foundation and the Sun Belt Conference to support their work and highlight the passion of these deserving teachers. We look forward to shining a spotlight on these outstanding teachers with Eagle Nation on September 5."
The 2026 Extra Yard for Teachers grant recipients are:
Bulloch County
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Kelsey Dyal | Sallie Zetterower Elementary School | All Aboard the Imagination Station: Full Steam Ahead for Learning Creation
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Natasha Flowers | Statesboro High School | Educator: Biology & Forensic Science/10th & 12th
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Brandi Bittner | Julia P. Bryant Elementary | Tonies for Tinies
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Tayler Bohannon | Southeast Bulloch Middle School | Passport to the World: Bringing Global Learning to Life
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Megan Bennett | Southeast Bulloch High School | Operation Christmas
Chatham County
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Yolandria Baynes | The Learning Academy – Isle of Hope | Calm, Communicate, and Learn: Creating an Inclusive Autism Classroom
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Edward Scott | A. E. Beach High School | Akoma Project
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Calvin Wells | Robert W. Groves High School | Flight Lines: Taking Mathematics from the Classroom to the Football Field Using Drones
Effingham County
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Jenny Ahouse | South Effingham Middle School | The Reading Success Lab
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Briana Ranck | South Effingham Middle School | STEAM Backpacks
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Catrina Rustin | South Effingham Middle School | Sweet Success: Entrepreneurship and the Mathematical Modeling Framework
Liberty County
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Alberta Landreaux | Liberty High School | Seeds for Education (Exceptional Wild Ones)
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Sharon Wrease | Lewis Frasier Middle School | Level Up Literacy: Where Every Reader Wins
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Aliyah Rogers | Horizon Learning Center | Empowering Future-Ready Learners Through AI and Hands-On STEM Learning
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Christine Crystal | Taylors Creek Elementary | 24 Game
The educators will be recognized on the field during halftime of Georgia Southern's Sept. 5 matchup against Charleston Southern.
