The May 22, 2011 tornado destroyed my classroom at Emerson Elementary, leaving me with very few teaching resources and classroom supplies. The world saw the devastation that Joplin endured and the world stepped up to help. I was blessed to be "adopted" by wonderful people from several places around the United States. I would like to take the opportunity to thank those people for the kindness they showed a stranger in Joplin, MO.
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Mrs. B is a 5th grade teacher in Bartlesville, OK. She was paired with me in June 2011. It turns out that she graduated high school with my dad! (Cue the song- It's a Small World After All!) She worked through Facebook and her church to seek out donations to rebuild my classroom. I was able to attend a spaghetti luncheon and share my story with her church in July 2011. Mrs. B came to Joplin several times over the summer to volunteer with the clean-up effort and help people rebuild their lives. She also came to help me set up my classroom.
Mrs. B's class and my class will be sharing letters over the course of the school year. Thank you to Mrs. B for being a rock for me during a seemingly unstable summer, and for caring so much about the students of Joplin, MO. |
Molly is a 5th grader from New Jersey. When she heard about what happened in Joplin, she decided to raise funds for a Joplin teacher. Molly sold bows made out of duct tape. Molly told me that she and her friends made about 6,000 bows to sell. Over the summer she came to visit family in Kansas and was able to deliver a check to Joplin Schools. Her only specification is that it go to a 5th grade classroom. My classroom was chosen to receive the Molly fund. One afternoon during the summer Molly and I sat down together to enjoy some frozen yogurt & discuss how she wanted me to use her money. Molly suggested that I buy the Humphrey the Hamster books as well as have individual whiteboards for every student in the classroom. Her wishes have been fufilled and we have a special basket in the classroom library with the Humphrey books. We also have individual whiteboard, dry erase markers, and erasers for each student.
Students from our classroom will be sending letters to Molly over the course of the year. Thank you Molly for having such a caring heart. |
Employees of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services adopted our classroom. They spent the summer fundraising and shopping for items to fulfill our classroom wish list. Contact person, Anita, told Ms. Asbell that as the items started to arrive in the Columbus office it felt like Christmas! It was nice to be visited by these three ladies, who so kindly help me set up on a very hectic day!
Thank you Kansas SRS! |
A group of retired teachers who graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma also adopted our classroom. Headed by a pair of sisters, Nancy and Claire, this group of kind women provided all kinds of great things for our classroom. Their donations include the beloved black bean bags we use during Read to Self and our classroom Kindle.
Thank you to the graduates of USAO! |
Other Supporters
College Heights Christian Church
Missouri NEA Hope Fund
Laurie & Ricky Boen
Sarah & Andrew Jordan
Rachel & Avery Barnett
Jared & Mindy Angell
Sarah & Chance Lowery
Jennifer & Jake Edwards
Keegan Pierce
Carroll & Tracy Asbell
Donna Van Otterloo
Larissa Jordan
Crystal & Trey Warnock
TeachHub (Staples gift card contest)
Donors Choose Donors (www.donorschoose.org/hasbell)
College Heights Christian Church
Missouri NEA Hope Fund
Laurie & Ricky Boen
Sarah & Andrew Jordan
Rachel & Avery Barnett
Jared & Mindy Angell
Sarah & Chance Lowery
Jennifer & Jake Edwards
Keegan Pierce
Carroll & Tracy Asbell
Donna Van Otterloo
Larissa Jordan
Crystal & Trey Warnock
TeachHub (Staples gift card contest)
Donors Choose Donors (www.donorschoose.org/hasbell)