It’s not breaking news that the vast majority of teachers in the U.S. spend at least some of their own money on classroom supplies. That’s been happening forever, usually at this time of year, a few weeks before school starts.
“Self esteem goes through the roof with a brand-new uniform on. I’ve got extra paris of underwear, extra pairs of socks,” said Nancy Sale, a teacher at Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center in Liberty City.
She knows what her kids need. This isn’t Sale’s first rodeo. She’s been teaching at this Liberty City school for three decades. She always acquires a ton of extra supplies and educational tools for her classroom.
“I would think that the iPads are probably the best things that I’ve gotten for my class," Sale explained, showing us the tablets arrayed on a table.
She has 17 iPads for her students to use, and this year, something new: a robot.
"Nancy Sale money spends, with my credit card, really well," Sale said.
But “Nancy money” doesn’t pay for all of the great stuff in her classroom. How does she do it?
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After 32 years of teaching, Sale has become an expert on writing grant proposals. Whether it’s DonorsChoose.org, The Education Fund or the Florida Farm Bureau, Sale has learned to navigate many charitable avenues.
“And I kept on writing grants and kept on getting them, and before you knew it, I had a whole bunch of great stuff in my classroom," Sale said.
She’s become something of a legend for her ability to take advantage of multiple sources, both local and national, to help her students.
“I actually challenged my teachers to meet with Ms. Sale in order to get an opportunity to figure out how she does it, what’s the magic so they can take advantage of it,” said the school’s principal, Bridgette Tate-Wyche.
Why does Sale go the extra mile?
“My children come with such a great disadvantage because of their income bracket and this evens up the playing field,” Sale said.
