'A Day Made Better' For One Woodstock Elementary Teacher

A Woodstock Elementary School teacher has received $1,000 worth of classroom supplies.

First-grade teacher Debby Pinion was among 1,000 teachers across the country who were selected to receive the supplies as part of OfficeMax's A Day Made Better program.

The company on Tuesday surprised Pinion with a classroom visit with a team of employees, who came bearing flowers, a new chair, printer and two orange boxes of supplies that contained a digital camera, a laminator, binders, copy paper and other essentials. 

OfficeMax founded A Day Made Better with Adopt-A-Classroom, its nonprofit partner. The program rewards teachers with classroom supplies who show a commitment to their students. 

Teachers are nominated by their schools to be considered for the honor. 

“Mrs. Pinion lives in the moment, celebrating the successes of the students, as they happen,” Woodstock Elementary Principal Dr. Christy Bowling said. “No matter how small the success, she inspires her students to achieve more!”

Independent research shows teachers each year spend on average $1,000 of their own money on classroom supplies essential to their jobs.

Along with Pinion, 1,000 teachers across the country receive supplies, which were worth $1 million. OfficeMax customers and clients donated another $900,000 worth of classroom supplies for this year's event.

Since 2007, the initiative and other OfficeMax programs have contributed more than $8 million in grants and school supplies to more than 29,000 teachers.