The Cherokee County Educational Foundation's (CCEF) 2025 Celebration of Education Gala was truly a night to remember!

We're excited to announce the Cherokee County Educational Foundation's (CCEF) 3rd Annual Sporting Clays Classic, taking place on Friday, June 20th, 2025, at the Garland Mountain Sporting Clays and Grill in Waleska! 

At the Cherokee County Educational Foundation (CCEF), we are committed to empowering educators to create impactful learning experiences for their students. Thanks to the generous support of our community, schools across the county have been able to fund a variety of projects this year, from hands-on STEM labs to enhancing reading options for students.

Last year, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation introduced a brand new grant application process allowing Cherokee County School District teachers to apply for rapid and impact grants throughout multiple rounds of the year! CCEF is excited to be continuing this new application procedure, and that the first round of applications will be opening on July 1st, 2025.

As the 2025–2026 school year approaches, it's time to lace up your running shoes and join us for one of Cherokee County's most beloved traditions — the 11th Annual Chick-fil-A Cherokee County 5K! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 16th, 2025, and get ready to run, walk, or cheer your way through a morning of fun, fitness, and community spirit. 

Waleska, GA – The Cherokee County Educational Foundation (CCEF) proudly hosted its 3rd Annual Sporting Clays Classic on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the scenic Garland Mountain Sporting Clays and Grill in Waleska, Georgia. The event brought together community members, business leaders, and shooting enthusiasts for a day of friendly competition and fundraising in support of local education. 

On Saturday, August 16th, Etowah River Park was filled with nearly 2,700 runners, walkers, and strollers as the community celebrated the 12th annual Cherokee County 5K presented by all six Chick-fil-A locations throughout Cherokee County. 

The Cherokee County Educational Foundation is thrilled to bring back two of our most anticipated annual events this fall: the CCEF Golf Classic and the Pickleball Classic. These exciting tournaments help fund our Rapid Grant and Impact Grant programs, directly supporting educators and students across Cherokee County. 

Not everyone has the same story. Some students show up to school every day and can effortlessly pass all their classes, while others may need more help to achieve the same success. However, these disadvantaged students haven't always received the attention they needed to help them succeed. 

The Cherokee County Educational Foundation was delighted to award 23 teachers in the Cherokee County School District with Classroom Impact Grants, totaling over $33,000 for the 2023-2024 school year! 

There's no time like November to get into a thankful spirit, and showing your gratitude is a fantastic way to increase feelings like joy and optimism across everyone, from teachers and students to faculty, staff and parents. For the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, what we are most thankful for is everyone who supports our mission: supporting the students and staff of the Cherokee County School District; from our sponsors, contributors, board members, volunteers and everyone in-between – thank you! 

With the Holiday season approaching, along with a much-needed break, students, teachers, and faculty are all looking forward to different things: enjoying time spent with the family, getting some much-needed rest, and much more. Oftentimes, we forget that by the time the holiday break ends, and everyone makes their return to school, that we are in a new year! 

Somehow May is already right around the corner and the last day for students is just a month away! One of the most challenging aspects of a school year's end is teachers keeping their students engaged and motivated.

The end of the school year is finally here! While many of our great teachers, faculty, and staff are ready for a relaxing summer break, there are typically a couple of final things that we must deal with before we say goodbye to our classrooms for the summer. Whether you're moving to a new classroom, changing grades, or just had a hectic year full of clutter, we all must make decisions on what to keep and what to get rid of come this time of year. 

Many kids rely on the meals provided to them by their school to keep them fed. So, what happens when they're out for the summer and are no longer able to obtain food? The answer is disheartening – they often go hungry.

"6 out of 7 hungry kids don't get the summer meals they need." Reports No Kid Hungry.

This is a reality that so many children face, but thanks to the funding of the USDA Seamless Summer Option, less kids are going hungry in the summer months.

The Cherokee County School District Nutrition Department and the Transportation Department joined forces to take an old school bus and turn it into a sign of hope for so many children. This sign of hope came in the form of a new delivery bus.

This café on wheels made a big impact on Cherokee County's community. The only requirements are that the recipients of these summer meals must be 18 years old or younger, and that they eat the meal on-site – no identification required! Kids can eat either in the bus or on the tables and chairs provided that surround the bus.

 There are many pieces to the puzzle when deciding a location to build or buy a house. Some of the puzzle pieces include: