Local Entrepreneur Pledges Cruise, Cash for BA Teacher of the Year
TEACHERS’ INCENTIVE: Clay Clark of the DJ Connection is offering Broken Arrow teachers incentive to keep teaching kids in Broken Arrow including a seven-day cruise and $1,000 cash prize to the 2007-2008 BA Teacher of the Year. Clark has proposed the plan to Broken Arrow Public Schools to show teachers that the community cares about their work.
Those who know local two-time Entrepreneur of the Year Clay Clark know that he is a person fueled by a fiery passion to improve everyone’s lot in life. Clark recently decided it is time for him to redirect his passions toward providing an gift and reward system to help honor and praise Broken Arrow’s outstanding and loyal teachers. He will do this through giving away a seven-day cruise and grand prize giveaway for the 2007-2008 Broken Arrow High School District Teacher of the Year. Clark will also give away a $1,000 cash prize to the “Broken Arrow High School Outstanding Senior Boy and Girl Award Winners.”
“It’s ridiculous to expect our teachers to come in day after day and year after year and work without a real reward programs,” Clark says. “I know many of our teachers bring the passion every day, however, I have worked in hourly and non-incentive based companies. I have worked in construction grunting it out pouring concrete walls. I have worked with handicapped students. I have worked in call-centers, and I have worked at Target. I know that after awhile no matter who you are, working without any real incentives is demoralizing. I would not expect my own people at DJ Connection to work without incentive, so why should I expect our local teachers to work without a real incentive program? On this issue and any issue, I believe I don’t have the right to criticize without first providing solutions, so instead of getting mad, I have decided to get involved.”
Clark officially calls his proposed incentive program “Rewarding Passion with Profits: Oklahoma’s 1st Non-Bureaucratic, 100 percent Privately Funded Teacher Appreciation Program.”
To put his money where his mouth is, Clark has proposed the following plan to honor, appreciate, encourage and motivate the teachers at the Broken Arrow High School at which he actively volunteers (although Broken Arrow High School has yet to officially sign on with this program):
• The Broken Arrow District Teacher of the Year (as currently determined by the Broken Arrow Public School System) would be honored and presented with an all-expense paid seven-day Caribbean cruise vacation package for two courtesy of DJ Connection. The “District Teacher of the Year” would also be awarded with an assortment of fun prizes courtesy of local Broken Arrow and Tulsa business owners.
• Clark would like to publicly celebrate the “Broken Arrow High School Outstanding Senior Boy & Girl Award Winners” by presenting their $1,000 cash prizes in “epic dj-esc” fashion during an end of the year high school assembly.
• Following the proposed assembly, Clark would like to provide limousine transportation service for the “Broken Arrow District Teacher of the Year” and the “Broken Arrow High School Outstanding Senior Boy & Girl Award Winners” to Mahogany’s Steak House for a night of fine dining and celebrating with DJ Clay and a yet to be determined BA/Tulsa person of interest.
• In an attempt to inspire other local business owners to follow suit, Clark has volunteered to work pro-bono as a substitute teacher in the Broken Arrow Senior High School for one day per week for the entire school year under the condition that all wages saved (by not paying Clark) will go directly to “District Teacher of the Year” as an additional cash prize to be presented during the a school-wide celebration.
• Clark will work with local Broken Arrow businesses to raise additional funds, which will be given to the winner of the “District Teacher of the Year” and the “Outstanding Senior Boy & Girl Award Winners.”
To become involved with Clark’s “Rewarding Passion with Profits” program, contact “DJ Clay” by calling DJ Connection at (918) 481-2010 or e-mail him at djclay1@djconnectiontulsa.com.
Updated 08-28-2007
Back to Top
