Kindness pays: $100,000
Tanglewood Elementary School teacher wins national prize for helping local families
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. >> Christmas came early to Tanglewood Elementary School on Thursday, as teacher Jamie Metivier was awarded a $100,000 check to help with her “Kindness Closet” project, which provides local underprivileged families with household supplies and clothing.
The prize is one of five grants Farmers Insurance Group is awarding nationwide through its Thank America’s Teachers Dream Big Teacher Challenge competition, based on results of a month-long public voting, which ended Nov. 3.
Metivier was totally surprised as Farmers Insurance and South Glens Falls school officials honored her during a morning assembly, with hundreds of cheering children on hand.
“This is the greatest Christmas present a person could ever ask for,” Metivier said through tears and smiles. “Right now we’re only supporting families here at Tanglewood. Now we’ll be able to help the entire community because there’s need well beyond our school.”
Superintendent of Schools Kristine Orr said nearly onethird, or approximately 1,000 of the district’s 3,100 students have some type of economic need.
Tanglewood school Principal Matthew Conrick said, “It’s a huge deal that South Glens Falls has been awarded this money. South Glens Falls is going to change because of what we at Tanglewood are going to do here.” At present, Metivier’s “Kindness Closet” utilizes a small room off the school’s auditorium. With the award, plans call for constructing a freestanding building on the school campus, which will afford more room to handle, store and distribute goods.
A reading teacher, Metivier became acutely aware of children’s needs during small-group lessons with a handful of students.
“Every single day I see them, so you build relationships and they share things with you,” she said. “When you hear that there’s 14 people living in a trailer or that they weren’t in school the day before because they were all huddling in one bed because they’re freezing and don’t have heat, these are things that tug at your heartstrings.”
Metivier started the project anonymously on a small-scale about 15 years ago, purchasing many things with her own money. As word spread, school staff and families in the Tanglewood school community began donating items, too.
“Not everybody wants to ask for help,” she said. “A lot of people do, but a lot of people don’t. So what we do is send home a letter saying, ‘If you’re in need, these are items we have.’ We get them anything they need.”
Metivier applied for the grant last spring with help from Farm-
ers Insurance agent Jason Rickson of Ballston Spa. Votes for the top 15 finalists poured in during October and Metivier was named one of the competition’s five grand prize winners.
“I thought it was a long shot in all honesty because it’s such a small community,” Rickson said. “But I guess we’re a much more tight-knit community than the others.”
Rickson supported Metivier’s bid by using social media to get the word out and encourage local people to vote for her.
“I even showed up to one of our athletic events, giving out towels to get votes, to help support the cause,” he said. “We also donated Kindles to pass around, for people to vote with – basically anything we could.”
Keeping the award a secret until Thursday’s school assembly was no easy task for district officials, or Metivier’s husband, Tony.
“I’ve been to the gym a lot,” he said, smiling. “That’s all we talk about at home, is the grant. So when I found out Monday I just wanted to be away. I’ve never kept a secret from her before. I never will again.”
Tanglewood has a “No Place for Hate” initiative, in which the entire student body pledges to show kindness and report bullying to teachers.
Conrick said a schoolwide assembly was already planned to reinforce such efforts. When Farmers notified him that Metivier won the award, the school decided to surprise her during the assembly.
Conrick called on Metivier to tell kids about her work with the “Kindness Closet.”
Then, a projection screen over the auditorium stage was raised, and Farmers Insurance officials came forward carrying a large $100,000 check in her name.
“Farmers [Insurance] likes to give back to the community,” said Patrick Van Slyke of Saratoga Springs, a company senior recruiter. “We’re happy, proud and excited for Justin, our local agent in Ballston Spa; for Mrs. Metivier, the teacher here at South Glens Falls; and for the South Glens Falls-Saratoga community as a whole.”
Farmers Insurance official Tu-Han Phan, who directs the Thank America’s Teachers program, made a special trip from corporate headquarters in Woodland Hills, CA.
At most school assemblies, children are expected to remain quiet and pay attention to the program. On Thursday, they were asked to cheer as loudly as possible for a recording of Metivier receiving her check.
The only thing missing was Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons, who is featured prominently in Farmers Insurance television ads.
Van Slyke said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Metivier being part of a similar commercial. “Anything’s possible,” he said.