The Troup County School System held a breakfast Tuesday morning at Del’avant to thank its Partners in Education.

The partnership began more than 20 years ago and includes businesses, churches and civic organizations that band together to support the local schools.

“They say one small act of kindness creates a sort of ripple effect,” said Callaway High student Kesley Wessinger. “It carries on and on, impacting even more lives as it grows. Our Partners in Education know a great deal about this as they donate their time, money and energy into helping us reach our goals. It’s a community effort really, and when they — you guys — sew into us, it allows us to sew into others.”

Partners in Education have a number of ways they can help students, such as tutoring or mentoring, reading to classrooms, offering job shadowing or internship opportunities, sponsoring field trips, providing attendance incentives, offering classroom grants or donating supplies, just to name a few.

“You believe in us as students. You believe in the teachers and the faculty and you believe in what we can do. You believe we can create a better future for ourselves and for others. It is because you believe in us that we are able to believe in ourselves,” said Troup High junior Kyla Bedingfield. “As students, if we know there is someone out there that believes in us, it inspires us to reach our goals and make a difference. There are currently over 1300 students at Troup High School that are impacted by what you do and what you give.”

According to a brochure on the Troup County School System’s website, the system has more than 200 business partners.

After the students spoke, Superintendent Dr. Cole Pugh gave an update on the school system, including its current focus on improving reading scores to get students ready for the workforce.

The Callaway High School choir also performed. After the formal banquet, each school had tables set up so that businesses could interact with school faculty members.