Autauga Education Foundation banquet raises funds for county classrooms

Roman Harper brought the hometown appeal, but the real measure of the Autauga Education Foundation’s A+ Banquet was whether a packed Doster Memorial Community Center would translate into classroom grants for Autauga County Schools. Tickets were listed at $150 apiece, with sponsorships at $2,000 for Gold and $1,200 for Silver, and all proceeds were set to benefit the county school system.

The banquet put a spotlight on the gap the foundation is trying to fill. The Autauga Education Foundation describes itself as a separate, independent nonprofit that works with Autauga County Schools to provide sustainable resources and community support that may not otherwise be available. Its mission is to build academic excellence and strong character development, and its vision is for the district to have enough funding and support to attract excellent teachers, strengthen student achievement and improve the region’s economic vitality and reputation.

That matters in a county where the school system is also working on broader infrastructure needs. Autauga County Schools said in its April newsletter that it is developing a facilities plan and working with state, federal and local partners on funding agreements for critical projects. Against that backdrop, the banquet was not just a social event. It was another way to raise private money for needs public dollars have not fully covered.

Nelda Sorrells, who chairs the foundation, said the turnout was encouraging and that events like the banquet raise critical funds that are returned directly to classrooms through grant requests from Autauga County Schools. The foundation says its allocation process is open to all schools and departments in the system, with awards made by its board when funds are available.

The evening also showed students taking part in the work, not just receiving the benefit. Students from the Autauga County Technology Center helped design the table settings, created a vision board around the event’s colors and logo, and served dinner for guests. That gave the fundraiser a direct connection to the district’s own students and the kind of hands-on experience schools often struggle to pay for on their own.

Harper, a Prattville native who later became a Super Bowl champion and ESPN SEC Network analyst, was the headline name in the room. ESPN says he signed a multi-year deal to join SEC Network in 2020 and has been part of SEC Nation. His message to students was that background does not determine destination, and that attitude, effort and self-belief can shape outcomes.

The foundation’s past numbers show the scale of what private giving can produce. It said it awarded more than $60,000 in grants for 21 projects and programs in the 2017-2018 school year, and more than $12,000 for 14 programs and projects on Giving Tuesday in 2018. Its “We Give 180” campaign asks supporters to give $1 for each of the 180 school days, a reminder that the money raised at one banquet is meant to be spread across many classrooms, not absorbed by the ceremony itself.