Nea, Pta Sponsor Nation'S Largest Thank You Card For Teachers

From the NEA and the PTA

In a monumental effort to say “thanks” to the nation’s 3.2 million public school teachers and to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10), the National Education Association and the Parent Teacher Association are urging individuals nationwide to send thank-you notes to their favorite teachers.

The Nation’s Largest Teacher Thank-You Card project was created by NEA and PTA in response to an NEA poll showing that the gift nearly half of all teachers would most like to receive is a simple “thank you.”  Several thousands of thank-you notes have been collected from students, parents, celebrities, elected officials and individuals from across the nation.  A sampling of those messages includes:

• “Ms. Brown was very special because she was my mentor.  She was very helpful to my family and me.  She and I became close friends and are good friends.  After so many years, we still spend time talking on the phone.”  Patti LaBelle, singer
• “Mr. Sellereit gave me my first acting job in my school production of The Jungle Book!”  Hilary Swank, actress
• “Mr. Tucker has never forgotten what he has in common with his students...he was a kid once, therefore he will always be able to be heard by his students who feel 100% respected and validated by him.” Wilmer Valderrama, actor
• “Teachers are often the people who inspire us the most. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without my 4th-grade teacher, Mrs. Duncan.  She so believed in me, and for the first time, made me embrace the idea of learning. I learned to love learning because of Mrs. Duncan.”  Oprah Winfrey, entrepreneur

To contribute to the Nation’s Largest Teacher Thank-You Card Project, individuals can visit www.teacherthankyoucard.org and send a free e-card or post a video thank you.  Thank-you cards can also be mailed to: The Nation’s Largest Teacher Thank You Card Project, c/o NEA, P.O. Box 66458, Washington, D.C. 20035.  The cards collected will become part of a larger-than-life mural measuring approximately 8 feet tall and more than 50 feet wide that will be unveiled for the first time during a high profile event in May 2009.

“This project is about taking the time to say ‘thank you’ – two simple words that are not said often enough,” said NEA President Reg Weaver.  “On behalf of NEA, I thank teachers for their care and unwavering devotion to America’s students. Teachers spark imagination, cultivate creativity and make dreams become reality.”

Warlene Gary, National PTA Chief Executive Officer, adds, “As a parent and a former teacher, I know firsthand how important teachers are to leading children to promise.  PTA Teacher Appreciation Week is designed to remind parents and children across the country to thank teachers for the amazing work they do each and every day!  Thank you, thank you, thank you teachers of America!”

Posted May 7, 2008