On October 6, Melissa Floyd, a first-grade inclusion teacher at Highlands Elementary, was rewarded with $1,000 worth of free school supplies, sponsored through OfficeMax's "A Day Made Better" campaign.
Melissa walked into the school's library shocked to find it filled with her students, coworkers, and family. Only a few steps in, she was greeted by Richard Alonso, store manager of the OfficeMax at Rivercity, who explained the special occasion to her.
Melissa received a box filled with supplies, including a digital camera, printer and other goodies for her and her students. The store also provided $10 coupons for all teachers, and Principal Kerwyn Neal received a free TomTom portable GPS navigation system.
"Melissa is very deserving of this recognition," said Principal Neal. "She is a very giving teacher who goes above and beyond for her students."
According to national studies conducted by the National Education Association, teachers spend nearly $1,200 out of their own pockets each year for basic classroom supplies – adding up, nationally, to about $4 billion a year.
The campaign, in its third year, is sponsored by OfficeMax, along with their non-profit partner, Adopt-A-Classroom, to provide economic relief to teachers. Each of Jacksonville's six OfficeMax retail stores and distribution centers collaborated with principals to nominate the one teacher they believe exemplifies a passion for learning and innovative classroom techniques.
Along with Melissa, the following five teachers were also recipients of the 2009 A Day Made Better Program: Carol Imon, Gregory Drive Elementary; Euteria Wright, John E. Ford K-8; Jackie Tate, Andrew Robinson Elementary; Michael Snyder, Spring Park Elementary; and Sarah Chew, Joseph Finegan Elementary.
While only six DCPS' teachers were recognized locally, more than 1,000 educators across the United States were honored through this philanthropic program. OfficeMax's 'A Day Made Better,' one of the largest national grassroots school advocacy campaigns in history, is an effort to eliminate "teacher-funded" classrooms.
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