Olympian & Santa Barbara HS Graduate Kami Craig Honored By TeachersCount
11/19/2010 12:00:00 AM
Santa Barbara, CA (Nov. 19, 2010) – TeachersCount, a non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating a permanent culture of teacher appreciation nationwide, is taking its award-winning “Behind Every Famous Person is a Fabulous Teacher” campaign to Santa Barbara with help from Staples, Inc., the world’s largest office products company. TeachersCount will honor the contributions of Olympic Water Polo champion Kami Craig, a much admired community leader, and teacher Debbie Penny formerly of Santa Barbara High School, whose service to Santa Barbara’s students is a source of inspiration for her. This is a part of Staples’ annual effort that features big-name celebrities including Carrie Underwood, James Franco and Major League Soccer star Landon Donovan with their favorite teachers on a national calendar.
Staples is donating $1,000 to Santa Barbara High School which Kami Craig will present to Debbie Penny during American Education Week – Nov. 14-20. Kami credits Debbie Penny with instilling in her the confidence to pursue her dreams, saying “I think there are people in every young person's life who are the building blocks to what they try and become as adults, and for me Debbie Penny was one of those people. As a student with learning disabilities I was told for a long time that I wouldn't make it into college but Debbie Penny never believed that. She gave me the confidence I needed to not only believe in myself in the classroom but to also not be embarrassed by having learning disabilities. One of the greatest things I was taught from Ms. Penny was to be a self-advocate for what I needed to be successful in school, whether it was extra time on tests or more help from teacher. I have Debbie Penny to thank for my story; she was and remains today a true inspiration and I just want to say, thank you!”
“Staples is committed to supporting educators, and what better way than the “Behind Every Famous Person is a Fabulous Teacher” campaign,” said Demos Parneros, Staples president of U.S. Stores. “This campaign perfectly illustrates just how far a student can go when they have a fabulous teacher to encourage them.”
The program is one of many Staples supports to honor teachers. This year the company has also worked with TeachersCount on the National Teacher Lounge Makeover Initiative, in which 5 teachers’ lounges were renovated. Staples supports the education community through Staples Foundation for Learning (SFFL), a private foundation created by Staples, Inc., which has contributed more than $18.5 million to national and local charities that provide educational opportunities for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. For more information, visit www.staplesfoundation.org.
“Teachers are integral to our individual lives and communities andthey truly make a difference,” said Diana Burroughs, Executive Director of TeachersCount. “Educators need to be valued, and as we well know, a culture of appreciation will nurture a flourishing community. We are grateful to Staples for its effort to ensure teachers get the deserved recognition for their daily work with our children and the community.”
About TeachersCount
TeachersCount is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to raise the status of the teaching profession and provide resources to the education community. Using a public service announcement national ad campaign and related initiatives, TeachersCount is working to create a permanent culture of teacher appreciation in the United States. For more information please visit http://www.teacherscount.org.
About Staples
Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products and services. Our broad selection of office supplies, electronics, technology and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and copying and printing, helps our customers run their offices efficiently. With 2009 sales of $24 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia serving businesses of all sizes and consumers. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today ranks second worldwide in e-commerce sales. The company is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com/media.
Women's National Team