SONIC® Drive-In is fueling education by sending 400 teachers from 149 public school districts to Atlanta for the Ron Clark Academy Experience, including two from West Valley elementary schools.

They are Corinn Klues from Sunset Elementary School in Glendale and  Mandy George  from Ocotillo Elementary School in Phoenix. 

This two-day training course was made possible by a nearly $1 million donation from the SONIC Foundation. March 20-21, 300 educators participated in workshops to bring teaching techniques back to their classrooms.

Next month, an additional group of 100 teachers will attend the same training at the Academy sponsored by SONIC on April 24-25.

“This marks our second year sponsoring hundreds of teachers to attend the Ron Clark Academy Experience, and we’re honored to support public education through this meaningful initiative,” stated Stuart Brown, executive director of the SONIC Foundation.

The Ron Clark Academy is an acclaimed, nonprofit middle school that doubles as a demonstration school. In the past 16 years, more than 150,000 superintendents, district-level administrators and teachers have participated to learn new ways to engage students, promote academic excellence, build relationships, and create a positive classroom culture.

Guests can join SONIC in supporting local public schools. Every time guests purchase a SONIC drink, slush, blast or shake, the brand 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 $30 million to funding local classrooms.

“Our goal is to create a revolution in education through transformative teaching methods that can be shared and replicated everywhere – including at home – and this partnership brings us closer to that vision,” stated Ron Clark, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy.