From Kitchen to Cafeteria: Jackson County Students Cook Up Innovation in School Nutrition

Written by Joy Galon

When Brooke Curtis's food science students at Jackson County High School step into their classroom kitchen, they're not just learning to cook – they're potentially shaping the future of school nutrition across Georgia. Thanks to a $700 grant from HireSmart Cares, these aspiring culinary innovators get hands-on experience in recipe...

First Graders Plant the Seeds of Agricultural Learning with Pizza Garden Project

Written by Joy Galon

When you ask a first grader where pizza comes from, they might say "the delivery guy" or "the grocery store." But in Stephanie Westhafer's first-grade classroom at West Jackson Elementary School, students are about to discover the real journey from farm to pizza box, thanks to a $500 grant from...

Texas Teacher’s Vision for Drone Program Takes Flight with HireSmart Grant

Written by Joy Galon

Instructor Terry Andre Hayes has personally paid for drones for students to fly at his alma mater, Evan E. Worthing Early College High School in Houston. The 1979 Worthing graduate and Naval Science instructor at the school sees drones as a pathway to success for his students, but the financial...

HireSmart helps students dress for career success

Written by Joy Galon

HireSmart Cares wants young people to feel pride as they learn career skills while still in high school. That's why the organization aims to help students be "dressed for success." The Madison County-based nonprofit provides scrubs for students in Broad River College and Career Academy's (BRCCA) health science pathway so...

HireSmart Covers Cost of Shelving for Construction Class

Written by Fibi Garcia

Danielsville Elementary School construction teacher Christy Hanson recently received a check for $700 from HireSmart Cares Co-founder Mark Lackey. The grant covered the cost of mobile shelving for the school's construction class materials. "The shelves have come in so handy for us," said Hanson, whose fourth and fifth-grade students learn...

AI Takes on New Meaning for Young Madison Co. Farmer

Written by Anne Lackey

When most people hear "AI," they think of artificial intelligence — chatbots, autonomous vehicles, and smart devices. But for Olivia Braswell of Madison County, Georgia, AI means something entirely different — producing quality livestock.   Thanks to a $5,000 grant from HireSmart Cares, a nonprofit supporting the next generation in...