South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley joined South Carolina Superintendent of Education Mick Zais, South Carolina Future Minds, founding sponsor Bojangles’ and other supporters of public education to officially declare May as Teacher Appreciation Month in South Carolina.
To kick off Teacher Appreciation Month and to show its support for public education in South Carolina, Bojangles’ will provide all South Carolina teachers a Bojangles’ promotional gift card with a “secret” value of anywhere from $1 to $100.
Additionally, throughout the month of May, all South Carolina teachers are eligible to receive a free Legendary Iced Tea or other beverage with purchase at any of Bojangles’ more than 100 restaurants throughout the state.
Bojangles’ also announced the dates for its annual statewide fundraising campaign to support the work of South Carolina Future Minds.
From Monday, May 20, to Sunday, June 2, customers can purchase a symbolic apple—$1 for red or $5 for green—each with a space for the donor to write their name and the name of a teacher they would like to honor. The apples will be featured on the walls of each restaurant throughout the month to celebrate the state’s many outstanding teachers.
“Bojangles’ is proud to partner with South Carolina Future Minds to support the more than 50,000 teachers who work so hard every day to improve the lives of their students,” says Bojangles’ president and CEO Randy Kibler. “We’re looking forward to hosting so many ways to honor these outstanding teachers all year round, and especially during May’s Teacher Appreciation Month.”
South Carolina Future Minds executive director Trip DuBard says, “All of the money South Carolina Future Minds receives through these fundraising programs will help teachers improve their curriculum, classrooms, and materials, which in turn will provide a better learning experience for the more than 700,000 students currently enrolled in South Carolina public schools.”
Bojangles’ also surprised the newly named South Carolina Teacher of the Year Darleen Sutton of Pickens County School District in Pickens with a five-night Caribbean cruise. In addition, it randomly drew the name of Allendale County Teacher of the Year Annette Washington-Wright to receive another cruise.
The company also awarded $1,000 to Chesterfield County School District Teacher of the Year Robert Bollier, winner of the Charles S. Dickerson Award for community service, with $500 designated as a gift to Bollier and $500 for the nonprofit of his choice.
Prior to Teacher Appreciation Month, Bojangles’ celebrated its fourth year as a sponsor of South Carolina’s Teacher of the Year program. This year, Bojangles’ donated nearly 3,000 books in honor of District Teachers of the Year, and since 2010, the company has donated more than 12,000 books to public schools across the state.
In addition, Bojangles’ treated these great teachers, as well as their colleagues, friends, family, and students, to a celebration complete with Bojangles’ chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, fixin’s, Legendary Iced Tea, and sweet treats like Bo-Berry Biscuits.
