A class of 22 kids in Toronto got a special surprise from their teacher, who gifted them new pairs of custom Nike sneakers.
The educator, known only as Stephanie or @teacherinthe6ix on Instagram, decided to do the giveaway after she was moved and inspired by the film "Like Mike." She showed the film to her class, who also appreciated the lessons in the movie.
The educator was thrilled to see that her students understood the importance of treating others with character. Stephanie said that she was most struck by one of the phrases from the film that alluded to the effect one person makes over the other.
"It's not about the shoes," the teacher said. "It's who wears the shoes that make them special."
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How Stephanie made the gift surprise happen
Stephanie could afford to gift custom-made Nike Air Force sneakers to her students because she crowdfunded for them and used part of her savings. According to Good Morning America, the teacher also tapped the help of Mack House, a customization studio.
On the day of the big reveal, Stephanie's students squealed in delight upon learning that they were getting new shoes they could decorate however they liked. The teacher said some of the children even cried upon getting their gifts.
The young educator also said she wanted to give her students something special as school was especially challenging in the past two years because of COVID-19. She wanted them to know that her classroom would always be a "positive and safe space."
Her video had been viewed by millions and garnered over 900,000 likes. What's even special was she also connected with the parents of her students on social media.
"I want the kids to be happy and I want the parents to see what's going on," Stephanie said, adding that the relationship between teachers and parents has also been very challenging because of the COVID-19 restrictions.
Students gift teacher his own car
Meanwhile, in California, a 31-year-old Math teacher was surprised when his students at Yula Boys High School gifted him with his very own car.
On the first day of school, Julio Castro went to the morning assembly at the gym. When he got there, gift cards were being given away, and he felt pretty bummed because he did not recall submitting his name. Castro did not realize that this was all a ruse so the students could present his brand new Mazda sedan. Even school security was part of the pretense.
According to Patch, the students planned the fundraiser for months until they reached their goal of $13,000. They partnered with community groups to achieve their objective.
They wanted to give Castro the car because he was a dedicated teacher working at the girls' school five miles away. He gets around on a scooter and goes home late by taking the bus.
Castro said he could have looked for another job closer to his home and family, but he chose to stick with Yula because the school community treats him like family.
