Woodbury Middle School Teachers Get Sam’s Club Surprise

Sam’s Club officials called Woodbury Middle School Principal Kari Lopez.

“They know all the money that you guys put out of your own pockets into our classrooms for our kids,” she told 20 teachers Thursday.

As part of a nationwide effort that will award $4.5 million to 90,000 teachers, Sam’s Club gave $50 gift cards to 20 educators at Woodbury Middle School.

They also got gift bags… complete with an apple.

Lopez said every teacher—whether or not school officials hear about—spends his or her own money on classroom materials for students.

That is certainly true for Lanka Liyanapathiranage, who said he and his fellow teachers spend “a ton” each year on supplies. He said he planned to use the gift card to buy items to reward students and provide incentives for good classroom work.

Related: Local Teacher Gets Big Surprise

Chad Johnson, Sam’s Club membership assistant manager, thanked them for their work, saying teachers treat each student as they would their own.

Sam’s Club is active in the community, he said, and the company heard of a need at Woodbury Middle School.

“But every school is deserving,” Johnson said.

Jane Rowe, a college and career readiness teacher at Woodbury Middle School, said she can spend “easily $500” of her own money for materials each year.

She already had one item in mind for the gift card: “a really cute pencil pouch” for one student.

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