Archive: Around Town

Valentine’s Day was $1,000 sweeter for Rochester teacher Tina Thomas and her colleagues at Northwest College Preparatory School. Thomas won $1,000 worth of school supplies for her classroom and school in an online drawing sponsored by Ithaca’s Winter Recess teachers festival.

On Valentine’s Day, Thomas received $300 worth of Staples Gift Cards to buy supplies for her room and $700 worth of Staples Gift Cards to benefit her school. The online drawing was created to promote Ithaca’s annual teacher week by directly aiding a New York teacher and her school.

“This will definitely help our school, especially now with programs and previously allocated funds being cut,” Thomas said. “It’s a wonderful surprise.”

A secondary mathematics teacher, Thomas has worked in the Rochester district for 15 years. Northwest College Prep is an urban school that’s producing some of the highest graduation rates in the district. Additional school supplies will help the school achieve even more success, said Principal Toyia Wilson.

“We believe in celebrating our kids and their success,” Wilson said. “You can see their achievements posted on the walls when you visit. All of our graduates were accepted to college last year because we celebrate our kids and treat them like gold. They are gold. A gift like this helps us continue to be able to do that. We appreciate it.”

The faculty and staff of Northwest Prep made a concerted effort to win the drawing. Nineteen Northwest’s 35 FTE employees entered the giveaway. They were among 2,514 total entries representing 755 New York schools in districts ranging from East Hampton, Long Island to West Valley near Buffalo.

“The interest in this drawing overwhelmed us,” said Fred Bonn, director of the Ithaca visitors bureau, coordinator of the annual Winter Recess festival. “It’s a reflection of the times. With all the talk about cuts, it’s a little disheartening being a teacher right now. We’re just glad to brighten things up with a giveaway like this and an event like Winter Recess.”

For five years Ithaca’s Winter Recess festival has offered New York teachers and school district employees a week of rest, relaxation and deals during the February school break. This year’s edition, Feb. 18-27, includes a calendar of 85 events with dining, spa and shopping discounts at more than 150 Ithaca-area businesses. The weeklong festival is the nation’s only city-wide celebration of state educators. Registration is free to working and retired educators.

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