VALDOSTA — Brenda and Russell Hassenstab, owners of Kona Ice in Lowndes, celebrate their sixth year as community partners in education.

For more than five years, they have run superstudent programs in schools in Lowndes County and Valdosta City.

“We attend many schools and love making a difference in children’s lives,” Russell said. “My primary reason for joining the Superstudent Program is to help the child and her PBIS program in Lowndes and surrounding counties.”

Brenda said: Teachers and students always look forward to our visits. “

Brenda and Russell are also involved in surrounding school districts such as Colquitt, Tift, Cook, Hamilton and Suwanee counties.

Community Partners in Education has over 425 partnerships that serve everything from an hour of reading instruction for students each week to landscaping schoolyards and giving presentations on career readiness.

Each year, the CPIE hosts a kickoff event for businesses to meet with Lowndes County and Valdosta City School coordinators to share ideas for the school year.

Andrea Bridges has taught at Lowndes High School as a Professional Coordinator and Work-Based Learning Instructor and has been a CPIE Coordinator for four years.

“We are grateful to the companies that not only donate but, more importantly, take the time to understand the needs and desires of our teachers and students,” Bridges said. I was.

She said her partner has hosted life skills classes over the years, including proper introductions, interview skills, and basic career preparation.

JoAnn Stone, CPIE Coordinator at SL Mason Elementary School, is ready to work with new and long-time partners.

“Over the years, we’ve developed a great partnership that extends beyond school hours,” Stone said. think.”

She said CPIE is a true partnership that allows schools to support multiple local businesses and industries.

The kickoff event lunch was sponsored by community partners Bojangles, Chick-fil-A of North Valdosta Road and Captain D’s.

If you are interested in becoming a business or individual sponsor, please contact Lowndes County School System Coordinator Lauren Pope at (229) 316-1810 or Valdosta Municipal School System Coordinator Jennifer Steedley at (229) 671-6065. Contact Please. Or contact the school coordinator.