Recently, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee presented its 2018 Excellence in Partners In Education (PIE) Awards.

The award winner for Elementary School with Small Sized Business or Organization partnership was Jan Rooney - State Farm Insurance Agency with Free Home Elementary. As a current business owner and a former school teacher, Jan has a heart for educating students. As a member of the Free Home Elementary School Council, Jan lends her expertise to offering solutions and ideas for pressing needs within the school. She often begins filling needs before the school even asks. Jan is a critical part of the kindness initiative at Free Home and has a positive character program called Cool 2 Be Kind. In addition to being a spelling bee judge and Read Across America participant, Jan sponsored students at Christmas and reached out to her business contacts who sponsored students as well. Jan also shows her appreciation to the teachers by delivering goodie bags throughout the year, and she caters a lunch during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Other winners included the following:

Elementary School with Medium/Large Sized Business or Organization Partnership - Rotary Club of Canton with Canton Elementary STEM Academy

Middle/High School with Small Sized Business or Organization Partnership - Allegro Business Products with Freedom Middle School

Education Centers Partnership - City of Holly Springs with L.R. Tippens Education Center