Erika Couey, a Ridgeland High School art teacher, wears a ring she won and intends to sell so her students can fire their ceramics in a new kiln.
Ceramics students at Ridgeland High School in Walker County are on track to get a new kiln since a bidder has offered $2,600 for a diamond ring auctioned by art teacher Erika Couey.
Couey won the ring when the marching band raffled it around Valentine's Day to raise money for new uniforms.
She spent $100 on a dozen raffle tickets, intending all along to sell the ring to help pay for a new kiln, since the school doesn't have the money to buy one.
Five people emailed Couey when bidding started, and "there were two bidders that bid back and forth, back and forth," she said.
The winning bid of $2,600 came in at 5 p.m. Friday for the 14-karat white gold ring with 2.5 carats' worth of diamonds.
The ring was appraised between $5,000 and $6,000.
But Couey said $3,000 would pay for a kiln at the "lower end of the spectrum" that's comparable in size to the nonfunctioning kiln the school has now. She hopes the school can pitch in $400 to reach the $3,000 mark.
Ceramics students are fired up at the prospect of getting a working kiln.
"They've got some really awesome projects," Couey said. "I think the kids at first were just kind of [dallying]. They thought, 'We don't have a kiln, what's the point?'"
But with a kiln coming, she said, "They've just revved it up."
School district spokeswoman Elaine Womack was impressed by Couey's actions.
"I think that was very selfless of her and very inspiring to others who may look for alternate ways to fund our clubs and activities," Womack said. "She's a true, dedicated professional."