LIHUE — Robbie Contrades, a teacher at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, said the presentation by Farmers Insurance was better than Christmas morning. Contrades was one of four teachers on Kauai recognized by Farmers Insurance under its Thank A Teacher program.
LIHUE — Robbie Contrades, a teacher at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, said the presentation by Farmers Insurance was better than Christmas morning.
Contrades was one of four teachers on Kauai recognized by Farmers Insurance under its Thank A Teacher program. They each received a gift box of supplies and other goodies put together by the staff of the Farmers Insurance, Lihue office.
“I was in shock,” Contrades said. “When they told me, I couldn’t believe it. This is better than Christmas morning. I was running low on supplies and trying to figure out when I was going to have to get more.”
The teachers, selected from nominations from their students during the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair, include Contrades, Keiko Sagawa-Pananganan of Waimea High School, Bernard Riola of Eleele Elementary School, and Chie Tanaka Roessler of Kauai High School.
“When we presented the box to Mrs. Roessler, they allowed us to visit her classroom,” said Gezmynn Viquelia of Farmers Insurance’s Lihue office. “The students went wild, joining the celebration. This was heart-warming, tying in with the Thank America’s Teachers mission of sharing a ‘thank you’ with a special teacher who touched a student’s life and allowing the teachers the opportunity to make their educational vision a reality for their classroom, and community.”
Students and teachers are able to have input in this program which helps Farmers Insurance give away more than $1 million dollars in educational grants throughout the year. Farmers Insurance will distribute $2,500 grants to 180 teachers with six being awarded grants of $100,000.
Students are able to Thank A Teacher who has helped shape them to who they are today, or made a difference in their life. They can vote for their teacher at www.farmers.com/thank-americas-teachers/thank-a-teacher/.
Teachers are able to submit their proposals for grant consideration at the same website by clicking the “Submit a proposal” tab. Submissions will be accepted starting in January.
