Top Teacher to Get a Toyota Prius

The Manatee Education Foundation has partnered with the Gettel Automotive Group which which has donated a 2013 Toyota Prius as a prize for the district’s top educator to be named in March. 

In total, the Gettel Automotive Group has pledged to donate more than $53,000 to Manatee District schools for the 2012-2013 school year through the education foundation's Partners in Education Program.

Bob Bisplinghoff, chief operations officer for Gettel Automotive, called the Prius donation "an opportunity to encourage teachers to elevate their performance, to chase the goal of being Educator of the Year."

Gettel Automotive is also funding a new Teacher Recognition Program which will reward one teacher at every school in the district with $125 each quarter during the school year. Teachers will be nominated by their peers for the award and celebrated at the end of each quarter at a reception at Gettel Toyota of Lakewood’s new showroom on State Road 64. 

“Gettel Automotive believes that the most valuable but underappreciated employees in the community are our teachers,” Bisplinghoff said. “We know teachers are taking money out of their own pockets to provide for their students and classrooms. The $125 Gettel Automotive Teacher Appreciation Award is to help alleviate some of the teachers’ personal financial burden."

The Manatee Education Foundation facilitates opportunities for private sector businesses to support public education initiatives.

“The partnership between the Manatee Education Foundation and Gettel Automotive is a great example of how the Partners in Education program is intended to work,” said Mary Glass, Executive Director of the education foundation. “Gettel recognizes the struggle the school district and teachers have been through in the last few years and they wanted to make a difference in the community by elevating the morale of teachers."