According to BEP Director Lee Rennick, the event raised more than $20,000; proceeds will fund summer professional development academies for teachers of 3rd- through 12th-grade students as they further examine the application of math, science and technology curriculum to the world outside the classroom.

BEP Board Member Cathi Rowlison was pleased with the turnout.

“We are so grateful to all our guests and sponsors as well as to everyone who donated items for the auction,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see people in the community supporting education initiatives. We are already thinking about next year’s event.”

Profits from the event are slated for the “BC3 Academy” and “Professor Buzzo Discovery Academy.”

The two-year-old event’s evening was made even more exciting with a generous $50,000 grant from presenting sponsor Nissan North America, which will enable the BEP to provide teachers with mini-grants to use on classroom projects representing ideas above and beyond the scope of their required curriculum.

These grants of up to $500 per teacher are awarded each semester; teachers must apply during the months of January and August to be eligible.

“One of Nissan’s key giving priorities is education,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Nissan North America’s senior manager of Philanthropy and Diversity Communications. “Our partnership with the BEP allows us to focus not only on K-12 education, but on the arts as well through events such as ‘An International Evening.’ Nissan’s global vision is to enrich people’s lives, and we feel that we can play a part in that locally through supporting education and the arts for children.”

Teachers who wish to apply for either academy should visit www.rutherfordbep.org; deadline for applications is Friday, April 29th. For more information on the Business Education Partnership, visit the website or call Lee Rennick at (615) 278-2008.