By Audrey Posten
Emily Sadewasser has been selected as the 2025 Clayton Ridge Education Association (CREA) Friend of Education.
She was honored during a reception at the Guttenberg Campus Cafeteria on Monday, Nov. 17.
“It means a lot,” said Sadewasser, who supports Clayton Ridge through her role as executive director of the Clayton County Foundation for the Future. The Foundation works with donors, nonprofits and leaders to connect unmet needs with resources to improve quality of life for all residents and communities.
“As a Clayton Ridge alumna, a community member and parent, I feel it’s so important to support our school, and to make sure the kids and educators in our community know we care and that we’re here to help,” she shared. “Being able to share opportunities and facilitate resources for students at Clayton Ridge is something I count myself lucky to be a part of, and it’s certainly a collaborative effort with the school, donors and other community partners.”
Sadewasser believes a strong school is vital to the community. Through her work at the Foundation, she tries to keep a pulse on needs and resources, as well as opportunities that could help address those needs. She said that could include sharing a grant opportunity, helping with a scholarship fund, working with a donor to address a need or inviting the school to the table to partner on community issues.
One example of Sadewasser’s work was stewardship with a donor to secure funds for Clayton Ridge’s electronic yearbook and trophy case and new digital scoreboard. Funding also supports the student scoreboard operator positions and brought in a brain health speaker.
Through the Foundation, Sadewasser supported creation of scholarship endowment funds and the Rural Return Scholarship, a teacher recruitment tool.
Additionally, she collaborated on the Clayton County Brain Health Coalition and a recent child care study and strategic planning process.
Sadewasser also connects families to the Clayton County Imagination Library to provide monthly books to children from 0 to 5 living in Clayton County school districts.
“It’s a privilege to support the school through my work and to give back,” Sadewasser said.
If others would like to support Clayton Ridge, Sadewasser noted there are many ways to share time and talent. She suggested reaching out to a teacher, coach, administrator, the office or another volunteer to see what’s needed—whether with a boosters group, on the field, the court, the classroom or elsewhere.
“Everyone has something to contribute. It’s all important and it all adds up,” said Sadewasser.
