BRYAN, Texas — Teacher wish lists on Amazon have become increasingly popular, according to local educator who created one for the first time.
Natosha Collins teaches second grade at Arrow Academy, a public charter school in Bryan. After posting her wish list blindly on social media, Collins received an overwhelming response from family, friends, and community members.
Collins said her classroom went from a blank canvas to a colorful palette that gets her students excited to learn. As she awaited the school year she thought to herself and said, "Why not make my classroom exciting and inviting?"
She explained how grateful she was for the gesture from the Brazos Valley, even strangers.
"I put the list up on Facebook so many people shared it and I started getting items in my mailbox," said Collins. "We all worked together to get what I needed to have in my classroom, and it came out nice," said Collins. "Before this, it was very plain, even last year, I've never done an amazon list, so I was like okay imma do an Amazon list."
It's a new school year, and with the education industry facing many challenges, making the wish list a trend can bring teachers together to make ends meet.
"This is a big thing now, these teachers are, they put their list out, they are making it happen," said Collins.
She believes the wish lists are not just for the teachers.
"I tell the students this is your classroom. This is for the kids. Everything we've done is for the children, it's just turned out great and I'm just so grateful and thankful for everyone in the community for even nominating me," said Collins.
Collins said this made her classroom a bright light that students see when they walked in on Monday. She shared how many students stated, "This is my classroom, it's colorful, it's bright, it's welcoming. So I think that's necessary," said Collins.
Despite a costly truth of many teachers being underpaid, according to Collins, her wish list is now rich in color as the year slowly ticks on to success.
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