OfficeMax surprises local teacher with $1,100 in school supplies

On Oct. 1, one thousand teachers nationwide were surprised by teams of OfficeMax employees who came into their classroom with gifts galore. The office supplies company accepted letters from thousands of school principals nominating one of their teachers and one teacher in each OfficeMax store district was selected for the “A Day Made Better” surprise.

At 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, an OfficeMax truck rolled into the St. Regis Mohawk School parking lot, and six uniformed OfficeMax employees marched into one of the classrooms. While a full class of students looked on excitedly, the team presented teacher Martha Cook with a bouquet of flowers and $1,100 in classroom supplies.

The longtime faculty member at the SRMS is known and loved by hundreds of Mohawks who were lucky to have her as a teacher. She has been at the school for decades, teaching just about every grade but focusing primarily on Pre-k, and 1st and 2nd grade. She now provides instructional support.

Cook was nominated for the award and surprise by Principal Sharlee Thomas who said she received a fax from OfficeMax that asked principals to nominate a teacher who has made a difference at the school.

“The first person I thought of was Martha,” Thomas said. “She has helped so many teachers become good teachers.”

Thomas said Cook was her own college sponsor while she was in school to become a teacher.

“I learned so much from her and I really look to her as a mentor,” Thomas said. “I respect her so much.”

After the OfficeMax team told Cook she had won their “A Day Made Better” contest for the Massena district, they presented her with flowers and then rolled in a new swivel chair. It didn’t stop there. The team then brought in a giant box filled with every school supply a classroom could need, including a new digital camera to capture special classroom moments.

A near-speechless Cook said, “I am so appreciative of the gifts from Office Max and I do shop at OfficeMax! Thank you so much!”

One of her students shouted “Way to go Mrs. Cook!”

The program is in its second year and was created to bring public awareness to the fact that schoolteachers often spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket for classroom supplies.

“Teachers inspire and shape our country’s greatest asset, our children, and it is astounding that they are left to cover the cost of doing a good job,” said Bob Thacker, senior vice president of marketing for OfficeMax. “Today, OfficeMax is taking action to inspire a national movement of grassroots support for teachers.”