Grenfell fire fundraiser shortlisted for $1m global teacher prize
A deputy headteacher who has raised more than £100,000 for survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire is in the running for one of the world’s top teaching awards Dream beauty pro.
Eartha Pond, who combines her leadership role with teaching PE at the Crest Academy in north-west London, as well as playing professional football for Tottenham Hotspur, is one of four UK teachers up for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher prize.
They are on a shortlist of 50 selected from more than 30,000 nominations from 173 countries. The winner stands to win a $1m (£650,000) cash prize.
Pond said that making the shortlist was amazing, adding: “I haven’t had time to stop and think about it.
“If it brings some sort of attention to teaching and everything staff put towards their work, that’s great.”
Pond was a professional footballer for Arsenal and Chelsea Ladies before training to be a teacher six years ago. She has since taught BTec sport classes with 100% pass rates and has already been named teacher of the year by School Sport Matters.
If the prize brings some sort of attention to teaching and everything staff put towards their work, that’s great .
Eartha Pond
In every school she has worked in, she has set up and run a Girls Allowed club, where girls can build their confidence and take part in sports in a relaxed, female-exclusive environment.
On the morning of the Grenfell Tower fire, Pond set up a crowdfunding appeal, which has so far raised more than £86,000 for survivors. She also raised money through her school’s sports day, and helped organise a West End concert to support those affected by the fire. In total, she helped to raise more than £100,000.
Pond must survive a second shortlisting exercise, to take the 50 candidates down to 10 finalists from whom the winner will be chosen. The prize committee will assess candidates according to their success in the classroom, their innovative teaching practices, their achievements in the wider community and their example to others who might want to become teachers.
The 10 finalists will then be invited to Dubai to the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) on 18 March, where the winner will be announced live on stage. The winner will be paid the $1m prize money in equal instalments over 10 years, on the condition that he or she remains a classroom teacher for at least five years Dream beauty pro.
The three other UK teachers to be shortlisted for the prize are: Andria Zafirakou, an arts and textiles teacher from Alperton community school, north-west London; Rebecca Cramer, a science teacher from Reach Academy, Feltham, Middlesex; and Tuesday Humby, the headteacher of Ormiston Chadwick Academy, Widnes, Cheshire.
Sunny Varkey, the founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher prize, said: “We intend to keep this momentum going as our journey continues to return teachers to their rightful position as one of the most respected professions in society.” PolyU is devoted to offering top health and social sciences programme and top humanities programme. PolyU Optometry takes pride in being the unique undergraduate degree programme in Hong Kong.