Sep. 26, 2024
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park and Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy will benefit from unique partnership with the regional bank
In partnership with the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation (YWLAF) of Chattanooga, SouthEast Bank has committed a three-year investment of $154,500 toward key initiatives that will serve the students and staff of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) and Montessori Elementary at Highland Park (MEHP). Much of the investment will support MEHP with the hiring of three new teacher assistants. The funds also will provide one CGLA graduating senior with a SouthEast Bank Scholarship of $1,500 per year. Lastly, a portion will benefit the CGLA Backpack for Success Program.
“At SouthEast Bank, we believe that investing in education means investing in the future leaders who will drive our region forward,” says SouthEast Bank Regional President Ron Jones. “When you meet the young women who have been a part of CGLA, their energy, enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment are immediately evident. Supporting them and the students of MEHP as they reach their potential will undoubtedly benefit our community for years to come.”
CGLA and MEHP are tuition-free Title 1 schools serving 90% low-income and at-risk students, with an emphasis on small class sizes, well-rounded STEM instruction and leadership development. In 2021, YWLAF worked to expand its impact in Chattanooga’s core urban neighborhoods by opening MEHP, which serves co-ed pre-K through fifth grade students. Nearly 800 students are currently enrolled across both schools, and this number is projected to grow by a significant percentage over the next two academic years.
At MEHP, SouthEast Bank’s investment will provide salaries for key support staff who will assist in organizing learning materials, maximizing the small classroom community and addressing students’ individual learning needs. The donation to CGLA’s Backpack for Success Program will help address student and family needs by providing food supplies, school supplies and uniforms. The initiative also offsets testing and college application fees, and provides laptops and home internet access to give students an uninterrupted learning experience.
“Southeast Bank investing in CGLA and MEHP will help break the cycle of poverty and provide opportunities for students to succeed academically and beyond,” says Gus Diamondidis, Director of Advancement and Fund Development at YWLF. “By providing early childhood education opportunities for at-risk children – beginning at age 3 – we believe we can have an even greater impact on children in Hamilton County.”
About SouthEast Bank
SouthEast Bank is a community bank headquartered in Farragut, Tennessee. With assets in excess of $2.6 billion, SouthEast Bank offers a full suite of loan and deposit products and services for families and businesses throughout Middle and East Tennessee, including its specialty consumer loan division, ELFI, which specializes in educational loan programs. SouthEast Bank is committed to the financial success of its customers, employees, and communities. Local decision-making and community involvement have been the driving successes of SouthEast Bank since its inception. Member FDIC.
For more information, visit www.southeastbank.com or call 1-844-732-2657.
