By Amanda Foust
Carmel resident Monica Carson has been working to create a partnership between two education-focused organizations she calls “hidden gems,” the American College of Education and Teachers’ Treasures.
“Both of our missions are to support educators and the students that they serve, so it was a natural fit,” said Carson, who serves as ACE vice president of enrollment operations.
Carson was recently unanimously nominated to join the Teachers’ Treasures board of directors. Her mission is to create awareness for both organizations.
ACE offers online graduate-degree programs that support professional development opportunities for educators without adding substantial amounts of debt.
“(ACE) is focused on breaking the link between cost and quality, offering masters degrees under $8,000 and doctorates under $20,000,” Carson said.
Teachers’ Treasures serves teachers and students by obtaining and distributing free school supplies. They receive contributions from local businesses, charitable foundations and community members. They service any school in Marion or surrounding counties with 60 percent or more of the student population on free or reduced lunch programs.
Carson has worked in higher education for 16 years in a variety of roles and helped create a full partnership between ACE and Teachers’ Treasures in 2015 after volunteering at Teachers’ Treasures in Indianapolis.
“The thing that excites me most is continuing to help expand the knowledge of what Teachers’ Treasures has to offer the community,” Carson said, “There are services like this available to teachers to help them continue to keep supplies in their classrooms on a day-to-day basis.”
The mission of both organizations is to continue the support of teachers in and out of their classrooms so they can improve the education experience for their students.
“The programs (themselves) are hidden gems,” Carson said.
For more, visit www.ace.edu or teacherstreasures.org.
