At A Gift for Teaching, we believe teachers are everyday superheroes, but during Teacher Appreciation Week, we make sure they felt that way!

From bold décor to fun surprises and moments of well‑deserved celebration, this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week was all about honoring the educators who show up for students with courage, creativity, and commitment every single day. More than 380 teachers visited afterschool and $226,030+ worth of free supplies were piled into shopping carts at our Free Teacher Supply Store!

As teachers arrived, they were greeted with a full superhero experience. Throughout the store, superhero details were everywhere: fan décor floating overhead, supersized popcorn decorations near the snack station, and a dedicated photo area featuring Pencil Boy, capes, masks, and themed props – all to give teachers the chance to encapsulate their superhero moment.

A highlight of the week was our Spin‑the‑Wheel, where teachers tested their luck to win special prizes as a way of saying “thank you” for all they do. Special thanks to Dunkin’ Donuts, Texas Roadhouse Orlando, Waters Carwash, Wawa as well as our local Walmarts on South Orange Ave, West Colonial Drive, and South Semoran Blvd. for their Spark Good grants to help make our teachers feel special with extra rewards and other gems.

Pencil Boy also made special appearances handing out tokens of appreciation, spreading smiles, and celebrating all teachers in attendance. No celebration is complete without snacks. Teachers were treated with popcorn, snacks and drinks throughout the week as they shopped for the supplies their students need most. 

To cap off Teacher Appreciation Week, our generous friends at Darden Restaurants catered a special Olive Garden lunch for educators at the school with the highest A Gift for Teaching shopping rate this year: Union Park Middle School. It was a small but meaningful way to recognize how often their teachers rely on our free services to support their classrooms and to thank them for their dedication to students. 

Teacher Appreciation Week is about more than decorations or giveaways; it’s about reminding educators that they are seen, valued, and supported. Every free supply picked up, every prize handed out, and every smile shared during the week was made possible because of a community that believes in teachers.

You don’t have to wear a cape to support a teacher, but your support can be just as powerful. 

A monthly gift as a Classroom Hero gives teachers steady support all year long, helping classrooms remain creative, confident, and ready to learn. Together, we can continue celebrating and supporting the superheroes who shape our future, one classroom at a time.