CLAY COUNTY – The Clay Education Foundation is a balancing act between some of the Clay County School District’s most high-profile events and numerous programs impacting multiple grade levels.

The Foundation’s Executive Director Makayla Buchanan said the organization is a nonprofit supporting school aims outside of the district’s traditional tax revenue.

“We can pilot programs just because the district may not have time,” Buchanan said. “We’re not tied to certain outcomes or the bureaucracy of education.”

The Foundation started the district’s first robotics club, which is now sustained by the district. Its focus goes in multiple directions with career pathways for kindergarten-through-8th grade students, cybersecurity and drones. The programming also includes distributing teacher materials, bolstering the pipeline of teacher-leaders and recognizing them with the teacher and school-related employees’ yearly award ceremony.

For any successful program or event, the foundation can later organize training, draw up what to buy and widen its influence.

“Kids are coding, learning the difference between a plane and drone. They are learning why making strong passwords is important,” she added. “It’s critical thinking and problem-solving.”

Buchanan regularly meets with district officials and school administrators. The Clay Education Foundation is flexible but doesn’t function as a Parent Teacher Organization or a Teacher’s Union.

A key narrative for the Foundation is keeping students in Clay County and developing public-private partnerships. Supporting education is in the businesses community’s best interests by improving student outcomes, Buchanan said, referring to the district’s A grade and high state ranking.

“Anytime the public and private sides can come together to find common ground, the community is going to be better for it,” Buchanan said. “We have a lot of great people involved with our work, they have business interests, but they have kids and grandkids attending district schools.”

In her three years as executive director, there’s been challenges like COVID-19 striking after the first year or even rebranding the organization. However, her drive comes from both of her parents being educators and that she attended Clay schools.

“It’s ingrained in me that Clay County is a special place,” she said.

Her mind turns to the district’s ranking again. For Buchanan and several orbiting the district, there isn’t a reason to stop.

“We’re always thinking, ‘How can we help students even more? How can we help teachers even more?’”