Sonic and DL Rogers Corp. (DLR), in partnership with the Sonic Foundation and the Ron Clark Academy, sponsored a Florence School District 3 teacher to attend the Ron Clark Academy Experience in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 19-20.
This sponsorship reflects Sonic and DLR’s ongoing commitment to recognizing and supporting outstanding teachers who go above and beyond for their students.
Ashley Bonilla, a 5K teacher at Olanta Creative Arts and Science Magnet School and FSD3’s 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year, was selected to attend the two-day professional development event.
The Ron Clark Academy (RCA) Experience is an in-person professional development opportunity that allows educators to observe live classrooms, participate in hands-on workshops, and learn practical strategies to enhance student engagement, classroom culture, and creativity. Attendees return reenergized and equipped with tools they can immediately apply in their classrooms.
“Being selected to attend the Ron Clark Academy and represent FSD3 was truly refreshing and reignited my passion for teaching,” Bonilla said. “After 16 years in the classroom, this experience reminded me that the heart of great teaching is building a strong, joyful culture where every child feels seen and inspired. Experiencing that level of energy and connection at RCA pushed me to reflect on my own practices and dream bigger for my students. I left with a full heart and a renewed commitment to create that same kind of engaging, meaningful environment in my classroom and school.”
“We believe great teachers create great communities,” said John McCutcheon of Sonic and DL Rogers Corp. “This sponsorship is our way of thanking the teachers in the communities we are honored to serve. Our partner, Cedric Grant, consistently goes above and beyond, and through his efforts, a teacher from Lake City was selected to attend. We are proud of this partnership with Florence School District 3 and look forward to continuing it for years to come.”
Mr. Grant and Lake City Sonic are long-time partners of FSD3, supporting instructional programs in schools as well as athletics.