SONIC sends 2 Jackson teachers to Ron Clark Academy Training as part of $1 Million nationwide donation
JACKSON, Tenn. (April 7, 2026) – As part of a $1 million donation from SONIC to support teachers and classrooms across the country, two educators from the Jackson area were among the 400 selected nationwide to attend the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) Experience in Atlanta this past March. Funded by the SONIC® Foundation, the immersive two-day professional development training equipped teachers with high-impact, engaging instructional strategies designed to boost academic achievement and strengthen classroom culture.
Amber Carter and DeShadrian Henson from Rose Hill School in Jackson were the two educators who attended this year’s RCA Experience.
“We’re proud to give these deserving educators the opportunity to experience the Ron Clark Academy and bring fresh ideas back to their classrooms,” said Stuart Brown, executive director of the SONIC® Foundation. “Supporting teachers in the communities we serve is central to the SONIC Foundation’s mission, and their passion and dedication continue to inspire the students and schools they serve every day.”
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.
“Partnerships like this one with the SONIC® Foundation are what make it possible for us to extend the RCA Experience beyond our walls and into classrooms across the country,” said Kirk Brown, chief development and communications officer of the Ron Clark Academy. “When 400 educators walk through our doors, learn alongside our teachers, and leave with strategies they can use the very next day, that is the kind of impact that changes schools. We are incredibly grateful for SONIC’s continued investment in teachers and the communities they serve.”
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, 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, becoming one of the largest programs to support public education in the U.S.
About the Ron Clark Academy
The Ron Clark Academy is a highly acclaimed, nonprofit middle school located in southeast Atlanta. The Academy has received both national and international recognition for its success in educating students with passion and creativity. The school’s 4th – 8th-grade students represent various socio-economic and academic backgrounds; however, RCA seeks to extend its reach beyond its student body by having an impact on students everywhere. Each year, more than 10,000 educators from across the country around the world participate in RCA’s vibrant professional development program — The RCA Experience (#RCAEXP) — to learn how to replicate the school’s style, philosophy, and success in their own schools. Since 2007, more than 160,000 superintendents, district-level administrators, and teachers from 50 states and 26 countries have participated in the RCA Experience to learn better ways to engage students, promote academic excellence, and create a climate and culture that promotes success.
About SONIC
SONIC, founded in 1953, is the largest drive-in restaurant brand in the United States, with more than 3,400 restaurants in 47 states. SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit SONICDriveIn.com and InspireBrands.com.
*SONIC donates a portion of every SONIC 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.
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