By EASON FRANKLIN
The Lowndes Signal

Several Lowndes County teachers were recently awarded gift certificates to purchase additional supplies for their classrooms and school.

Walmart Personnel Manager Fredia Fountain and Assistant Manager Marie Boutwell awarded 10 Ft. Deposit Elementary teachers with a $100 gift certificate each as part of their Teachers Rewards Program (TRP) Sept. 28.

“We have the TRP year-round and decided this year to come to Lowndes County,” said Fountain. “We appreciate what you’re doing.”

Nearly 20 teachers put their names into a box to be selected at random by Ft. Deposit Elementary Principal Darryl Arms.

Barbara Steiner, Christine Felder, Christine McBride, Deborah Scott, Eloise Jenkins, Jason Seaborn, Michael Taylor, Patricia Means, Sheron J. Reid and Wanda Barlow all were awarded the gift certificates. The teachers not selected in the name drawing were given gift bags by the Walmart representatives.

“It is so wonderful to see this,” said Arms. “These people don’t teach for a living — they teach to change a life.”

On average, teachers spend about $500 of their own money each year to purchase classroom supplies and in some cases more.

Each year Walmart and Sam’s Club awards more than 45,000 teachers and educators with the $100 gift certificates, totaling nearly $4.5 million to schools across the nation as part of the TRP.

In 2009, top purchases made through the TRP consisted of 25,000 report folders, 24,000 packs of pens, pencils and crayons, 14,000 packs of paper, 13,000 packs of markers, 10,000 binders and clipboards as well as other basic classroom essentials.

This is the second year the chain-store has “supported education initiatives” through the TRP.