TALLADEGA COUNTY — The Talladega County Education Foundation has planned an Education Gala and Art Auction featuring student and professional artwork for Thursday, Nov. 12.

The evening at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame SpeedChannel Dome begins with a silent auction at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7.

After dinner, everyone may enjoy the excitement of a live auction and dancing with entertainment.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit such Talladega County Education Foundation programs as awarding seven scholarships of $1,000 each to deserving high school seniors, awarding 17 grants of $1,000 to teachers in the system, awarding three systemwide grants — one each to an elementary school, a middle school and a high school — ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and supporting The Imagination Library in providing one book per month to children from birth to 5 years of age.

The Talladega County Education Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that was organized in 1993. The purpose of the foundation is to establish, maintain and manage an educational fund and to provide financial resources for special programs and projects beyond the state-required educational opportunities for students in the Talladega County School System. The foundation supports the school system’s vision to provide a challenging and rigorous curriculum, empowering all students to be successful in the 21st Century.

Members of the Board of Directors are appointed to serve either two-, four- or six-year terms of service. Ex-officio members include the superintendent of the Talladega County School System and the chairman of the Talladega County Board of Education.

The 2009-2010 Talladega County Education Foundation Board of Directors includes Chair Dorothy Wright, Jane Allen, Sadie Britt, Nicki Bryant, Jean Burk, Mike Challender, Georgia Christian, Nancy Cotter, John Davis, Donald Duck, Avery Embry, Sally Flowers, Charlie Gaines, Beulah Garrett, Lance Grissett, Chad Jones, Kristi King, Suzanne Lacey, Stan Mitchell, Allen Parnell, Carl Ponder, Fran Pope, John Ragland, Terry Roller, Beverly Smith, John Stamps, Nettie Studdard, Lynn Swinford, Chad Woodruff and Charles Woods.

Tickets to attend the gala are $50 each, and $400 will reserve a table of eight.

To order tickets, send cash or a check made payable to Talladega County Education Foundation to P.O. Box 887, Talladega, AL 35161; call 256-315-5100; or send a fax to 256-315-5126.