March is Hug-A-Teacher Month
Build-A-Bear and Donors Choose Want to Fund Classroom Grants
Most parents are familiar with Build-A-Bear. It's the store at the mall where kids get to make their own teddy bears by stuffing them with fluff that is assigned personality attributes, and buy clothes and accessories after their bear is "born". Build-A-Bear Workshop has joined forces with Donors Choose to help kids have more fun playing and more fun learning by encouraging customers to buy GivingCards and declaring March to be Hug-A-Teacher Month.
Hug-A-Teacher Month
During the month of March, teachers who have been recipients of Donor Choose's Build-A-Bear grants will be highlighted in the stores. The grants, called "You've Been Hugged" were submitted to Donors Choose by teachers and focus on core academic areas. Build-A-Bear will also donate up to $60,000 for classroom projects as part of Build-A-Bear Founder Maxine Clark's birthday celebration.
Build-A-Bear is encouraging kids to hug their teachers to demonstrate appreciation and love for all of the important roles that teachers play in the lives of students.
Celebrating Hug-A-Teacher Month in Buildabearville
After kids create a Buildabearville account, they will be able to access special Hug-A-Teacher month features. There will be a special banner in support of teachers in the virtual bear world, and if players click on the teacher's chair in the Buildabearville classroom, they will be given a special-edition apple chair for their bear's Buildabearville home.
Build-A-Bear and Donors Choose Partnership
In November 2008, Build-A-Bear started selling GivingCards for $10, which allowed kids to go online to Buildabearville and join a simulation world that is similar to Webkinz and other virtual online communities fo rkids. The $10 card also donated $10 to Donors Choose, which funds classroom grants through citizen philanthropy. According to a February 2009 Build-A-Bear Workshop press release, "March is Hug-a-Teacher Month At Build-A-Bear Workshop", Charles Best, the founder of Donors Choose said, “Build-A-Bear Workshop has been a great partner and leader by helping us get the word out about our organization and by sharing its impact with others."
Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation
The Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation is the philanthropic branch of the workshop, and they say that they have raised $40,000 for classroom grants for Donor's Choose since November, 2008, and they have helped over 10,000 students.
Donors Choose
Donors Choose is an easy way for citizen philanthropists to give money and help fund classroom projects that they believe in, and Donors Choose collects the multiple donations to fund projects submitted for consideration by teachers. At the end of the project, teachers and classes send pictures and thank-you notes that help illustrate the impact of the project.
Teachers will always welcome appreciation and good wishes, and Hug-A-Teacher is a movement to help kids remember how important teachers are to kids, parents, and communities. Buying the $10 GivingCards enables kids to play Build-A-Bear Workshop related games online and enables Donors Choose to fund the exciting projects that make classrooms magical and teachers huggable.
March is Hug-A-Teacher Month
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