Georgia United Credit Union Awards Gwinnett County’s Duncan Creek Elementary 2026 School Crashers Grant

HOSCHTON, GA (March 18, 2026) – Imagine you’re a first grader who has had a hard morning at home before school. You’re struggling with big emotions, a behavioral disorder or you’re simply overwhelmed. Your teacher notices that you are having a difficult day and suggests you and the school counselor visit the sensory room so you can take a break and reset before returning to class. But when you arrive, the big room feels empty and uninviting with plain walls, minimal activities, and nowhere comfortable to sit. You’re relieved to take a break and talk about your hard day, but it’s hard to truly calm down without the right environment. Now imagine instead a space designed just for you with soft lighting, calming colors, cozy seating and sensory equipment that helps you feel regulated, supported and ready to try again. The right tools can make all the difference.

The Duncan Creek Elementary PTA Board nominated their school for a makeover grant with a 250-word story and a photo that clearly illustrated areas for improvement – earning one of five coveted Georgia United School Crashers projects scheduled for this summer.

“Some of the most meaningful moments at our school happen quietly when a student finds calm in a sensory space or when a teacher has one-on-one time to assist an autistic student learn how to process their emotions. These moments matter and the spaces that support them should matter too. A makeover would help us better care for the students and staff who show up every day with heart, patience, and dedication. Our sensory room serves a growing population of students. Over the past few years, our special education department has expanded significantly to become an essential space not only for those students, but for any child who needs a calm, safe place to regulate and reset.  Updating this room would directly support student well-being, learning readiness, and inclusion ... This year, our school welcomed Ms. Tolar in her first year as principal and she has brought incredible energy, heart, and vision. She has poured herself into making our school more welcoming, safe and joyful for students and staff alike. This makeover would help bring her vision to life and support the positive momentum she has created at our school. This isn’t just about updating classrooms - it’s about honoring and supporting the people inside them.”

Georgia United Credit Union CEO Laura King agrees, “We are looking forward to serving our communities and strengthening our school systems through our thirteenth annual School Crashers program. This program is made possible by the Georgia United Foundation, credit union team members, generous donors, community partners and volunteers. Duncan Creek is a very large school with 10 self-contained special needs classes in addition to many students with high functioning autism, so the need for a sensory classroom is real. We are especially excited about the Duncan Creek Elementary project as we have many team members who live in Gwinnett County, so we anticipate good volunteer support to transform this empty room into an important mental health resource.”

“Whenever members use Georgia United for a car loan, home loan, or checking account, a part of those funds are given back to the community through scholarships, financial education or through programs like School Crashers that deliver inspiring learning spaces for the students, faculty and staff. By the end of the summer, School Crashers improvements will have impacted a total of 86 schools with improvement estimated at over $3.2 million since 2014.”

Duncan Creek Elementary Principal Sheri Tolar said, “On behalf of the students, staff, and families of Duncan Creek Elementary, we are incredibly grateful to Georgia United Credit Union and the School Crashers Program for awarding us this generous grant. The remodeling of our sensory room will have a lasting impact on our students, providing a calming, supportive environment that meets their diverse needs. Partnerships like this demonstrate the power of community in Gwinnett County, and we are truly thankful for your investment in our children and their success.”

Principal Sheri Tolar was familiar with the work of Georgia United School Crashers program, as she had visited Burnette Elementary’s sensory room, a previous grant recipient. She envisions a calming space with zones of regulation, comfortable seating, and activity areas will be a game changer at school by allowing students to have a quiet area to self-regulate their emotions. Following this morning’s announcement at the school, Georgia United’s community development representatives will meet with the school to begin setting priorities and planning everything from paint and flooring to sensory equipment and comfortable seating. All facility upgrades to the space will be administered during summer break to ensure that regular instruction is not impacted. The new sensory room is scheduled to be ready for students and faculty to use by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Funding for the School Crashers program is provided by the Georgia United Credit Union, their 501c3 charitable Foundation, and generous donations made by community partners with labor provided by volunteers. If you or your organization would like to contribute to this summer’s makeover programs, visit www.gucufoundation.org/donate. To  learn more about the School Crashers program and view photos of past School Crashers recipients, visit gucufoundation.org/schoolcrashers, where additional 2026 grant recipients will be listed as they are announced during the month of March.