CLINTON, Tennessee — David Coffey. a former lawmaker, had never heard of Grand Oaks Elementary School until looking at state records one day.
"It does so well, that all the schools in Anderson County and Roane County —it tops them all," he said.
He chalked it up to Jessica Conaster, principal of the school. He said he wanted to highlight the leader who carried the school to success, comparing his donation to the Peyton Manning Award.
"When I saw that record, I immediately got through to the superintendent to talk to her and went by to visit her and said, 'Tell me what you're doing different,'" said Coffey. "You know Peyton didn't score all those touchdowns — he had a team that did it and you honor Peyton, but you also honor the whole team. So that's what this is."
Coffey is donating a tax-free $10,000 to the school to help it continue to excel. He also said he hopes other schools will strive to reach those goals as well.
He also hopes to expand his donations and give to schools in other counties as well.