Schools

Bethesda Elementary Teacher's 'Day Made Better'

Third grade teacher Emily Young won $1,000 worth of classroom supplies from OfficeMax. A teacher at Sweetwater Middle School was also a winner.

It was like Christmas for one teacher at Bethesda Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Ga. on Tuesday.

Third grade teacher Emily Young digs through a giant orange box filled with classroom goodies given to her by OfficeMax. Young was selected as one of the 1,000 teachers nationwide to win the office supply company’s “A Day Made Better” prize.

“I’m blessed to be one teacher chosen to get all this stuff,” said Young. That stuff includes everything from a new office chair and a Kindle Fire to notebooks and markers. She also received a certificate and a bouquet of flowers.

Find out what's happening in Lawrencevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I feel appreciated,” said Young who is also the school’s Teacher of the Year for 2013. “I feel people outside the education room appreciate it.” 

“Students were super excited,” said Bethesda Assistant Principal Dr. Barbara Tucker. “They didn’t know what was going on.” 

Find out what's happening in Lawrencevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tucker nominated Young-- who has taught at the school for seven years now-- because the teacher looks outside the box to find solutions to ever-changing challenges.

OfficeMax also donated an almost hip-high box full of school supplies to Bethesda Elementary.

Each teacher received $1,000 worth of classroom needs. In all, OfficeMax donated $1 million to schools nationwide on Tuesday. 

"Teachers and education are a part of the crucial infrastructure necessary to build a promising future for our children, and yet many teachers and schools face significant challenges to make ends meet in the classroom due to budget shortfalls," said Carolynn Brooks, vice president, chief diversity officer and president of OfficeMax Charitable Foundation in a release. "OfficeMax is proud to be hosting its seventh year of A Day Made Better, where we join our customers in helping teachers and schools secure the supplies they need to succeed."

Another teacher at another Lawrenceville school also received the honor.

Sweetwater Middle School science and social studies teacher Wesley Diers also had a huge box packed with goods delivered to his classroom Tuesday.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here