In 2019, The Fitzgerald Innovation Award (FIA), funded by the Fitzgerald Family Foundation, was created by Dr. Rodney and Margo Fitzgerald to empower and inspire teachers and administrators to pursue and implement significant positive change through strategic innovative instruction. The Fitzgeralds have been committed to excellence in local public education from the very formation of BCPEF. Both have worked, tirelessly, to support with time and resources the pursuit of innovative instruction. 2019—one of the FIAs was awarded to Bradley Central High School to enhance and support STEM instruction.
At the height of implementation of this project, the school year was impacted by the shutdown due to COVID-19. Undeterred by the pandemic, through collaboration with Walker Valley High School, Ocoee Middle School, and Lake Forest Middle School, Bradley Central High School used 3-D printers purchased with FIA funds to create over 600 plastic face shields providing much needed personal protection equipment for 35 local healthcare entities.
Rodney and Margo were thrilled that the FIA produced such far-reaching benefits. Margo stated, “it exemplifies the extraordinary power of collaboration and innovative thinking on the part of teachers to provide lifesaving help in a time of crisis.” Always forward thinking, the Fitzgeralds expressed a desire that other benefactors in our community would sponsor additional awards at this level for instructional collaboration and innovation. 2020, the perfect opportunity presented itself in the form of a funding request. Once again, Bradley Central High School and Walker Valley High School collaborated to write a grant, ‘Innovation=Integration STRONGER TOGETHER.’ Funding for this project was awarded by the Friends (of BCPEF) Innovation Award, developed as a group of generously committed donors stepped forward to bring this new award and project to life and to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of students, teachers, and especially, Dr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald.
Donors establishing the Friends (of BCPEF) Innovation Award are:
- Michelle and Matt Bentley
- Drs Nancy Blank and Bill Pryor
- Sherry Keller Brown
- Mrs. Bonnie Hathcock
- Dr. and Mrs. John Jaggers, III
- Nancy and David LaBine
- Dr. and Mrs. Ed McIntire
- Spangler Family:
- Brittany and Wade Cannon
- Jan and Patrick Spangler
- Sherry and Ron Spangler
- Dr. Spangler, Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics
- Lynn and Bill Voelz
- Mark Woods, Woods Electric, Inc
