Ever feel guilty for getting a sugary drink from a SONIC drive-thru?

Don't be. That Ocean Water, Limeade or Nerds-infused Slush is helping propel education forward.

Thanks to a nearly $1 million donation from the SONIC Foundation, 400 teachers from 149 public school districts across the country, including two from Baldwin County, are heading to Atlanta for a transformative professional development experience at the Ron Clark Academy.

The donation, funded through sales of SONIC drinks, is sending educators to participate in the immersive two-day “Ron Clark Academy Experience,” a nationally recognized workshop that emphasizes dynamic classroom techniques and culture-building strategies. Three hundred teachers attended the training March 20-21, and an additional 100 will take part in the next session April 24-25.

“This marks our second year sponsoring hundreds of teachers to attend the Ron Clark Academy Experience, and we’re honored to support public education through this meaningful initiative,” said Stuart Brown, executive director of the SONIC Foundation. “Our commitment to education is vital, and Ron Clark’s groundbreaking methods equip teachers with fresh strategies to energize their classrooms and captivate and inspire students nationwide.”

Baldwin County educators Raygan Chism and Hannah McCloud, both of Florence B. Mathis Elementary School in Foley, were among the participants selected for the prestigious program.

The Ron Clark Academy, a nonprofit middle school, is widely celebrated for its vibrant approach to education. As a demonstration school, it offers visiting teachers a chance to observe live classes, witness best practices and engage in hands-on workshops aimed at transforming classroom environments. In its 16-year history, the school has trained more than 150,000 teachers, administrators and education leaders from across the U.S.

"The SONIC Foundation and our Academy share a commitment to supporting educators across the country,” said Ron Clark, co-founder of the Academy. “Our goal is to create a revolution in education through transformative teaching methods that can be shared and replicated everywhere – including at home – and this partnership brings us closer to that vision!"

To encourage families to keep the learning going beyond the classroom, Clark shared a few simple ways parents can help foster curiosity and academic engagement at home, even during breaks or after school. His suggestions include creating a home craft station with supplies like ribbon, tape, yarn and crayons; encouraging kids to calculate the tip at restaurants; turning dinner outings into math games; and watching historically themed movies like “Forrest Gump” or “Glory” and pausing for discussion.

SONIC continues to raise funds for education through its Limeades for Learning initiative. A portion of proceeds from every SONIC Drink, Slush, Blast or Shake goes to the SONIC Foundation, which supports public school classrooms. Since the program’s launch in 2009, SONIC has donated more than $30 million to public education, making it one of the largest corporate-backed education initiatives in the country.

To learn more or support the effort, visit www.limeadesforlearning.com.

And the next time you have a hankering for SONIC Blast, you can always say you are doing it for the next generation and skip the guilt.