Nashville, TN (November 13, 2020) – PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement & Leadership), the premier nonprofit linking community resources to Nashville public schools, is proud to welcome Ateia Aldridge as the organization’s Grant Writer.

Aldridge received a Bachelor of Arts at Belmont University, studying political science and Spanish, and graduated with a Masters of Education from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development with a focus on teaching English Language Learners.

As a Nashville native and a former classroom teacher, Aldridge brings an educator’s perspective to PENCIL’s fundraising and communications team. She spent years engaged in the practice of teaching and learning as an educator in Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and Sumner County Schools. Aldridge has taught learners from Kindergarten through grade 8 and supported fellow educators by providing professional development on social emotional learning, and improving school-to-home communication among other topics.

“I feel honored to join PENCIL as a Grant Writer,” Aldridge says. “I have walked the aisles of the LP PENCIL Box and selected school supplies, high-interest books, and learning materials for students at no charge. It was a game changer. I watched my learners turn the crisp pages of new books, becoming more engaged in the reading process, and my appreciation for PENCIL grew even more. PENCIL does excellent work supporting MNPS students and teachers, and I am excited to support its mission and grant writing efforts.”

Aldridge will be responsible for supporting PENCIL’s fundraising objectives by researching, writing, and submitting grant proposals and reports. She will share the stories of MNPS students, educators, and PENCIL Partners in order to secure resources and build relationships that further PENCIL’s mission.