Jennifer Hatcher of Greiner middle school receives a surprise live on WFAA Tuesday morning from Staples vice president of global communications Bill Durling. Photo by Brandon Wade/AP Images for Staples
An Oak Cliff teacher received a $500 surprise this week.
Jennifer Hatcher of W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy was surprised on live TV Tuesday morning when Staples announced it will fully fund her Donors Choose campaign for classroom supplies.
Staples and pop star Katy Perry raised $1 million to fund teachers’ Donors Choose campaigns all over the country, including every project in Dallas.
Hatcher, who teaches the college-readiness course AVID, says the funds she raised on Donors Choose will pay for Kindle Fire tablets, plus a few other classroom needs such as chart paper and markers. DISD doesn’t supply laptops to students, and Hatcher says many of her students don’t have a computer at home. The tablets will allow them to access the internet and to attend two virtual AVID college fairs, where colleges all over the country offer virtual tours and answer students’ questions.
“I’m grateful to Staples for their funding,” she says. “But it’s not just big companies that can make donations. The average person can make a donation, even just $20, to help a teacher in their city.”
Search Donorschoose.org by zip code to find a teacher’s project in your neighborhood.
