Nissan is all about giving back.
On May 27, the Nissan diversity team partnered with the PENCIL project to give away free school supplies to five teachers in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
PENCIL stands for Public Education Needs Community Involvement in Leadership, and founder Angie Adams has been the president of the project for 40 years.
Adams says that all public school teachers in the metro Nashville are able to come to the facility four times a year and shop for much needed supplies including pencils, book bags, and even masks to give to their students for class. On average, teachers get about $250 worth of products every time they come and shop at the facility.
Five teachers were asked to make a wish list of the items that they preferred for their classes in the 2022-2023 school year, but what they didn’t know was that their wishes would come true. The Nissan Diversity team and media went to the Lakeshore Learning Store and Lowe’s to pick up items such as gardening tools, soil, rulers, books, pens, pencils, magnet kits and much more.
When the teachers arrived at the PENCIL facility to see that their wish lists had been fulfilled, they were excited and emotional.
Rae Danielle, a literary coach at Sylvan Park Elementary school, shared her story with the group present at the facility.
“We’re very tired,” the teacher said. “I can barely remember what was on my wish list, and I’m so excited and slightly emotional.
“I was at a Vanderbilt literacy weekend to promote literacy and reading, and most of my work is with teachers. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to teach children and teachers. I am just so grateful for an opportunity to have the chance to expose them to the world of literacy, and for children to see themselves in books and to feel special each and every day, and to promote math, writing, reading, science, STEM and social studies through all avenues of books.”
Dr. Larry Smith, another teacher present, says during the next school year he’ll teach English as a second language in third, fourth, and fifth-grade classes. Dr. Smith asked for a mini stereo to use in instructing his students.
“The emphasis for my English second language students will be speaking and listening with the equipment that I ordered,” Dr. Smith said. “It’s going to really help them shine in theatre and expose them to the language through text and literature. I’m excited about that.”
With all that has taken place in the nation over the past few weeks, seeing teachers being able to have a moment where they are highly appreciated and honored made this event even more special.
