GCPS Educator receives Georgia United Credit Union Foundation 2026 Educator Scholarship

     Tenecia Fears, a teacher at Trip Elementary School, is the recipient of one of five 2026 Georgia United Foundation Frank Thach Educator Scholarships from the Georgia United Credit Union Foundation in partnership with Georgia United Credit Union.

     Fears became gifted certified in 2023 and is pursuing an Education Specialist degree in Elementary Education from the University of West Georgia. She wanted to do more to impact her students and community and decided to pursue an advanced degree in order to take on greater leadership at Trip Elementary and in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS).

     “My heart keeps leaning towards being a teacher leader. I want to return to school for a few reasons: I would like to grow as a teacher leader, and I would like to learn more about community building within and outside of the school,” Fears says. “This requires collecting, interpreting, presenting, and planning that is centered around data that is used to plan and execute initiatives that improve school communities– academically, financially, physically, and emotionally.”

     At Trip Elementary, Fears is the County-level Content lead, the coordinator for professional development and leadership recruitment, the coordinator for Title I school programs and a PBIS Committee member.

     For years, the Georgia United Foundation has been dedicated to enriching lives by offering scholarships that make it easier for Georgia families to afford college. These scholarships are awarded annually to empower students to achieve their academic dreams. So far, Georgia United Scholarships have impacted approximately 430 students and educators with nearly $750,000 disbursed. Georgia United Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for children and families in the communities it serves through impactful programs funded through corporate contributions and delivered via volunteer efforts from team members and community partners. The foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is the philanthropic arm of Georgia United Credit Union. For more information, please contact the foundation by emailing foundation@gucu.org.