OAK GROVE, Mo. — Over 450 Kansas City-area teachers have added their Amazon wishlists for their classrooms to a webpage a local content creator made to help teachers out as they head back to school.
"Attention all Kansas City-metro area teachers or people that love and support a teacher," local content creator Rachel Kilmer said on her TikTok.
Kilmer has just under 22,000 followers on the social media app, and she knows what it's like to love and support a teacher.
"Growing up with a mom as a teacher, I've seen the behind-the-scenes, all the hours they put in at the end of the day," Kilmer said.
That's in addition to all the money they put into their classrooms.
Her mom, Amy Nadeau, has been a teacher in the Kansas City area for 23 years.
"Budgets are getting slimmer, and what has happened with the state and federal funding continues to be trimmed down," Nadeau said.
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From books to snacks for kids, Nadeau said there are many things teachers provide for their students on top of the necessities that have been covered by the school districts she has worked for.
"There are so many little things that you provide as a teacher," she said.
So, the two brainstormed and Kilmer created this page.
"I totally thought we'd get 20, 30 wishlists, and immediately I was overwhelmed with the response in the comments, and now we have over 450 in our database," she said.
Olathe School District teacher Eli Woody was one of the 450-plus teachers to add their wishlist.
“When I first started teaching, I was really adamant that I was not going to spend any of my own dollars ever to get anything from my classroom, and then the reality is that’s almost impossible to maintain," he said.
Woody asked for things like flashcards, dry erase markers, extension cords for charging laptops, snacks for his students, and decorations for his classroom.
For Kilmer, it's a personal project.
"Honestly, it's a little bit emotional," Kilmer said.
Because she's seen the impact.
"It's like Christmas," Nadeau said. "I mean, a box of markers unwrapping or books, it does bring tears every time I get one of those."
If you're interested in donating, you can do so by clicking this link.
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
