Three SBISD teachers enjoy ‘A Day Made Better’ from OfficeMax

OfficeMax representatives surprised three Spring Branch ISD teachers Oct. 1 with gifts for their classrooms valued at more than $1,000 each during the office supplier’s second annual “A Day Made Better” national event. The three SBISD educators were honored along with 1,300 teachers nationwide.

Those honored include a cancer survivor, a working mother who gave birth on Oct. 6, and recent Crystal Award winner. In addition to enormous gift boxes that included a digital camera, memory card, and classroom supplies that ranged from electric pencil sharpeners and staplers to dry-erase markers, notepads, glue sticks and organizers, each teacher received a leather office chair.

Recommended by their principals and chosen to receive awards this year were Maria Luisa Falcon of Spring Branch Elementary, Egla Fullerton of Bear Boulevard School for Early Learning and Selma Prewitt of Thornwood Elementary.

“They kept it a secret from me! I did not expect this,” exclaimed Maria Falcon, who has chemotherapy for her breast cancer on Fridays after school so that she can return to her bilingual fourth-grade students by Monday.

Diagnosed last winter, Maria Luisa waited for summer vacation before beginning her chemotherapy regimen. She may still face surgery and radiation in the months ahead, but is encouraged by the treatment and care she receives from Dr. Luis Campos and the staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

“I put my children first. I think about my students first, not my chemotherapy. I have the energy to do this, and a good doctor,” she said.

“Maria Luisa Falcon deserves ‘A Day Made Better.’ She teaches her heart out every day,” Spring Branch Elementary Principal Sue Bryant said. Joining the principal and staff members on Oct. 1 at the elementary school was OfficeMax Vice President for Sales Peter Dorsey.

“Teachers inspire and shape our country’s greatest asset, our children, and it is astounding that they are left to cover the cost of doing a good job,” Dorsey and other senior officials said. According to OfficeMax research, teachers may spend as much as $1,200 of their own money each year to ensure that children have necessary classroom resources to learn well.

OfficeMax has also partnered with the group Adopt-A-Classroom, a nonprofit group that supports classroom teachers.

Also receiving surprise gift boxes were third-grade teacher Selma Prewitt, who has taught at Thornwood Elementary for 15 years. Selma was a 2006-07 Crystal Award winner, too.

“A day made better?” she asks rhetorically. “That box was a year made better! It came as a huge surprise. I didn’t know anything about it. I’ve had people ask, ‘Did you write a grant for that?’”

“Selma is the kind of teacher we all wish we had – she is always providing exciting experiences to motivate and energize her students. She makes learning exciting and relevant and always goes above and beyond to achieve success for all in her classroom,” Thornwood Principal Karen Liska said.

Jim Felle, who is Bear Boulevard School for Early Learning director, warned OfficeMax not to wait too long before surprising Egla Fullerton. On Monday, Oct. 6, Egla gave birth to her second son, Samuel. Three-year-old Eli attends the prekindergarten where his Mom has worked since the campus opened eight years ago.

Egla is now at home and doing well. “She was totally surprised,” a relieved Jim Felly reports. “I told them to come soon. She won’t be here the next week, I said.”