Every year, teachers spend an average of $1,000 of their own money on supplies for their classrooms. It’s nothing new, my Mom spent at least that much every year when she taught second grade in the early 80s.  I’ve talked to a couple of teachers in the Lansing area, and they each get $200 for school supplies at the beginning of the year.  $200 is a drop in the bucket, people. Kids need journals and pencils and erasers and tape, and especially if it’s a Title I school, meaning a large low-income student population, teachers dip into their pockets again and again during the year.

The total amount that teachers spend annually is around four BILLION dollars, and Office Max says that is UNACCEPTABLE.   That’s why I’ve joined the Max Moms for teachers program to help create awareness and give back to teachers. The Max Moms are working in collaboration with the
national “A Day Made Better” cause founded by OfficeMax and nonprofit Adopt-A- Classroom to help erase teacher-funded classrooms. Every October, they host a national event that recognizes and rewards over 1000 teachers with a total of $1 million in school supplies, and TODAY is that day!

Kaitlyn and I went to Mid Michigan Leadership Academy in Lansing this morning and met up with the manager of the Okemos OfficeMax and three of his employees. They had a framed certificate, a glass vase with a dozen beautiful roses, a huge sign, and best of all, a gigantic box full of school supplies!  The office staff knew what was going on but the teacher didn’t, so we were excited about surprising him.

At 10:00 a.m. we headed down the hall, the OfficeMax employees, the Dean of Students, Kaitlyn, and me.  The Dean knocked on the door and went in, told the teacher he had visitors. Kaitlyn and I headed in first, her holding the framed certificate and me holding the vase of roses, followed by Shawn, the Office Max store manager and the employees. Shawn made a presentation to the teacher, Mr. Campbell, then wheeled in the new desk chair and pulled in the huge box of supplies.  We took some pictures, had a round of applause, then scooted on out of there so Mr. Campbell could get back to teaching.

I think he was a bit overwhelmed, and I don’t blame him, but his appreciation was obvious. The kids oohed and ahhed as he pulled out journals, markers, tape, something called dry erase crayons from Crayola that I have got to check out, and an Olympus point and shoot camera, and that was just the top layer of what was in the box.  I was excited FOR him!

This is a really great thing that Office Max is doing.  Tomorrow I’m going to start a one-week giveaway asking you, my dear readers, to nominate a teacher to get a $100 Office Max gift card.  Please check out this slideshow I made of pictures from today – I realized as I was walking to my car that I didn’t get a picture of me with the teacher we surprised or the OfficeMax people – whoops!  And thanks again to OfficeMax for giving me the honor of participating in this fantastic event today!