IL orc. @-.__@e-._ @at_ —~_@e8e “ints os oe Se oe ee ee eH oe ee met eer? e Ve@ Ss: , Holiday“HintS: ee ce What’s The Best Gift To Give A Teacher? (NAPSA)—Thegift that teachers would most like to receive costs nothingatall. That’s according to a recent poll conducted by the National Education Association (NEA), which represents 3.2 million edu- cators. Teachers overwhelmingly chose “hearing the words ‘thank you”or “receiving a thank-you card” as the gift they would most cherish. That’s why NEA teamed up with the National PTA to launch the nation’s largest teacher thankyou card. Taking part in the project is easy. Through the end of the year, students can log on to www.teacherthankyoucard.org to personalize an e-card andlet their teacher know heor she is being honored. “Genuine expressions of gratitude for their work, impact or influence are the best gift teachers can receive,” said NEA Presi- dent Reg Weaver. “We want to create a tapestry of thank-yous dedicated to the millions of teachers responsible for shaping, nurturing and educating the nation’s 50 million public school students.” The cards collected—including teacher thank-yous from famous actors, musicians, athletes, politi- cians and notable public figures— will be compiled into one gigantic card that will be unveiled next spring. “The holidays are a perfect time to show teachers the appreciation they so richly deserve,” said National PTA President Jan Harp Domene. “PTA and its 6 million members nationwide are excited to be part of this innovative project.” Photo credit: 200 Photo by the National PTA. All Rights Reserved The best gift a teacher can receive could be a simple “thank you,” a recent study found. Want to give a more conven- tional gift? Here are sometips to help you this holiday season: e Check the school policy first. Some district policies discourage buyinggifts. If you do buya gift, there’s no need to break the bank. Keep it simple. Sometimes the best gifts come in small packages. Organize a class gift. A gift’s value grows when the whole class contributes. Scrapbooks and photo albums are popular class gifts. Buya gift card. Gift certificates came in second on the teacher gift survey. Treat the teacher to a night at the movies or a gift card to a favorite bookstore. Bag the apples. Only 1 percent of the teachers polled said they like to receive apples as a gift. So try a unique spin: a bottle of sparkling cider or apple-scented handlotion. Give the gift of time. Give the teacher a book of coupons that can be redeemed for volunteer hoursin the classroom. To learn more about NEA and the National PTA, visit www.nea.org and www.pta.org.
