Delta Air Lines and its foundation are making a $16.5 million donation over the next five years in Clayton County that officials say will be used to support its school system and workforce development efforts.
The airline said Monday that $13.5 million from its foundation will support the school system’s planned Junior Achievement Discovery Center, the Flint River Boys and Girls Club and scholarships for local students interested in aviation careers through the Middle Georgia State University School of Aviation. The school district announced plans in 2022 to build a Discovery Center, similar to the one at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta, for students to learn about entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The center will be in a convocation center under construction at Southlake Mall in Clayton that is being built with money from sales tax funds. The center will be run by Junior Achievement of Georgia.
Delta will also contribute $3 million to the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce to support workforce development, the Aerotropolis Atlanta alliance and a fund to support local nonprofits.
“Delta’s mission to connect the world starts with our commitment to the communities where we live, work and serve,” Delta Chief External Affairs Officer Peter Carter and foundation trustee said in a statement. “Delta shares Clayton County Public Schools’ mission of providing its students with unmatched opportunities and it’s why we are honored to provide the funding that will give students an opportunity to learn real-world and essential business skills in a simulated environment while inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.”
The airline and county leaders — including the school system — have had a long and, occasionally, rocky relationship. Their biggest public spat, which took place about a decade ago, was over how much sales tax revenue from jet fuel should come to Clayton.
Monday’s announcement included statements from local and congressional leaders celebrating Delta’s investment. The school system’s superintendent, Anthony W. Smith, said he was “thrilled” with the expanding partnership.
“I commend Delta for investing in a school system poised to transform our local economy with graduates ready to work, lead, and thrive,” Smith said. “Our very talented and capable students just need a chance — and this partnership, along with the Junior Achievement Discovery Center, will be a game-changer for our community and beyond!”
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