“Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.” – Andy Rooney
Without question, teachers impact more individual lives than nearly any other profession. And while the Kati Fischer Teacher of the Year program is currently flourishing in each school, Wasatch County School District, along with Labrum Chevrolet, Buick and Ford, conceived of an additional way to thank the lifeblood of the district and launched Cool Teachers Care this past August.
Cool Teachers Care is program that runs throughout the school year and rewards teachers who’ve been nominated by fellow teachers, students and parents to receive recognition monthly in the form of small gifts, such gift certificates and cash cards. At the end of the year, one nominee from each school is entered to win the one-year lease for the Cool Teachers Care car.
According to Danny Labrum, owner of Labrum Chevrolet, Buick and Ford in Heber, expanding on the existing Cool2Care program — which awards whole ownership of a brand-new car to one Wasatch High School student annually — was the logical way to thank teachers, as well.
“Teachers matter to every kid,” explained Labrum. “It’s a way to give back; a way to show our gratitude to the teachers for what they do for the community.”
Shawn Kelly, Wasatch County School District Director of Operations and Human Resources, pointed out, “Cool Teachers Care has given us the ability to reward teachers similarly to students. Thanks to the Labrums, a teacher can drive a new car for a year.”
He further noted that the local Mountainland One Stop also donates $1,500 toward gas to the winning teacher. “What a fantastic program to recognize our hard-working teachers,” Kelly said. “We are hopeful that this program will continue to grow, and are currently seeking more funding to expand the program at all schools.”
Anyone interested in supporting the Cool Teachers Care program at their local school should contact Shawn Kelly at [email protected].
