Engage with Our Educators
Engage with Educators throughout Collier County
Our Educator Programs engage with over 400 educators in traditional public, charter, and public schools throughout Collier County and are designed to value, empower, and support our educators to experience professional success. Teachers are often spending their own money, beyond traditional school supplies in school districts classified as high need, including fans to keep classrooms cool and snacks to ensure that students are focusing on schoolwork instead of feeling hungry.
A well-noted benefit of volunteering is gaining a sense of community and feeling connected to those you are helping. Our changemakers get a glimpse into Collier County classrooms through serving on volunteer selection committees to score grant requests or helping to select the six Golden Apple recipients.
Whether you’re looking for a weekly commitment or a one-off experience, we have numerous volunteer roles to complement your interests and schedule.
Volunteer orientation or training is provided as needed. Keep in mind some roles have ongoing availability, while others only occur during specific times of the year.
Multiple Volunteer Opportunities
Classroom Grant Selection Committee
Get a glimpse inside Collier County’s classrooms! Educators across Collier County have the opportunity to apply for Classroom Grants of up to $2,000 to support learning inside and outside of the classroom. Classroom Grants can be for any subject or grade level.
- Read, review and score submitted grants to allocate funding provided by Champions For Learning’s donors
- Participate in the Classroom Grant Delivery Day
- Occurs August to October
- Between 30 to 60-hours depending upon the number of applications to review
- Attend a kick-off meeting to review Champions For Learning’s rubric and guidelines for scoring
Conversation Leader
These quarterly Educator Conversations bring together future, current, and retired teachers and focus on topics and themes relevant to the first several years of teaching. These conversations provide insight for future teachers and continued guidance for current teachers, all while providing an avenue for retired teachers to share their classroom wisdom.
- Facilitate an engaging, inclusive conversation
- Meet future, current and retired educators
- Single-day opportunity, typically on a Saturday morning
- Each event will last 3-4 hours and volunteers may sign up for one day or many
- Training is provided prior to each event
Classroom Deliveries
At various times throughout the year, we recognize teachers in the classroom. This could be our Surprise Classroom Grant Delivery Day, Teacher of Distinction Delivery Day, or just a general appreciation event.
- Volunteers are assigned teams with a pre-determined route and a schedule of deliveries
- Occurs at various times throughout the school year
- Volunteers may sign up for one Delivery Day or many and can expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours each time
Golden Apple Selection Committee
What began more than 30 years ago has grown to become a staple of our community. Each year, Collier County public and charter schools nominate a “Teacher of Distinction,” someone who demonstrates innovation and best practices in a classroom.
- Volunteers review each Teacher of Distinction as a candidate for the Golden Apple by viewing teacher presentations and observing the practice in action in the classroom
- Occurs October to February
- Between 80 to 100-hour commitment
- Attendance at regular committee meetings to support the selection process is required
- Travel throughout Collier County to visit elementary or secondary classrooms is required
- Due to the knowledge and expertise needed, this opportunity is only open to experienced volunteers
- Committee members cannot be a former CCPS teacher and must not have any immediate family currently teaching in CCPS public/charter schools
Why I Volunteer
Help us
make a difference
