As a former adjunct professor, I know I often had to pay out of pocket for resources that would really make a mark on a student . . . to make that lightbulb moment of understanding happen when a student finally grasps a difficult concept.But often, that lightbulb moment costs dearly—and out of your own checking account, with its already-low balance.And this is true for teachers all over America—not just in inner-city school districts.According to a federal Department of Education survey, today, 94% of public-school teachers are paying for their own school supplies, many of whom are working two jobs to feed their own families. On average, most teachers spend between $479 and $1,000 a year out of their poverty-level salaries, just to help kids learn (see The New York Times, May 16, 2018).Scott Levy decided to do something about it.Boston based Scott Levy, a self-made millionaire, CEO of Boston Digital Marketing Agency Fuel Online, and author of the hugely successful Tweet Naked, is using his social media know-how to raise funds for these teachers and vetsLevy, in fact, has been giving back in a big way for a year now, and not just to educators but also homeless veterans or followers on Twitter who are experiencing any kind of great hardship. Levy matter-of-factly explains, "It really bothered me that underpaid teachers are expected to buy classroom supplies out of their meager salaries, it's just not fair and I had to do something about it."The way it works is this: Teachers message @FuelOnline on Twitter with their Amazon wishlists for their classrooms, where Levy enthusiastically encourages them to feel ask for whatever they need to make learning happenAnd he tries to get them everything they ask for, too— completely out of his own pocket. At the beginning of the 2019 school year, Scott Levy @FuelOnline tweeted, “How are my Teachers doing today!?! Drop your supplies lists here & let me know what items are crucial to helping your students!”
And you don’t see teachers abusing the privilege or asking for expensive things either.Their requests are tentative, as if they truly cannot believe this is happening—and, just in case it is, they don’t want to push it.One kindergarten teacher asks for circular crayons that young fingers can grip. Another asks for a white grease board and eraser . . . one asks for a soccer ball for gym class. And you can tell from their grateful “thank you” tweets and the photos teachers share that both teacher and student lives have been changed by what Levy has done.
Teachers tweet pictures of students eagerly raising their hands or showcasing artwork drawn with their new crayons.
Teachers tweet photos of students grinning ear-to-ear as they practice with their kicking their new soccer balls into new soccer nets.As one teacher, Stef Moyer explains it, “"I am a single mom in a Title 1 district with high poverty, high crime and high trauma. Thanks to Mr. Levy, I was able to support my 40 students with supplies to get them through their school year. Mr. Levy continued his support by clearing the lists of other teachers we have met through this movement helping us build the foundation of learning for all students." One special-ed teacher adds that "This movement has brought a light to the amount teachers are spending in their classrooms and my gifts from Scott Levy have relieved the burden and allowing me to focus on additional projects and lessons."Levy is elated that Twitter is able to generate such massive amounts of donations for not just teachers but veterans as well. “The biggest challenge after success is learning how to share it," Levy admits. "I chose Twitter because it's my largest reach and I wanted help identifying who needed it the most. I'm also hoping to inspire the masses to give back as well. It's been a massive success, and I'm overwhelmed by the love and feedback."
