'All-Around Amazing' Oak View Teacher Wins Warm Hearted Award

Oak View Elementary School 4th grade teacher Antoine Bland, “an amazing all-around teacher with a career ahead of him that shows the beginning of greatness,” is the recipient of Operation Warm’s “Warm Hearted Teachers of America” award.

As such, the Philadelphia-based charity has donated 36 brand new winter coats to be given to children in need at Oak View.

“We applaud your outstanding kindness and generosity toward your students,” said Operation Warm Vice President Rich Lalley, who presented the coats to Bland during an Oak View teaching team meeting Thursday after school. “Together we can make sure every child feels warm, safe and valued.”

Bland, who started his career with Valley View as a Summer Learning Experience teacher at Jamie McGee Elementary School in 2012, was nominated for the honor by a parent whose son was an SLE student.

“His patience and love of learning, not only for my child, but also for allof his students was greatly shown and appreciated,” the parent wrote in her nomination. “Mr. Bland exhibits role model qualities, genuine honesty, warm-hearted kindness and true leadership. He always celebrated each student as if they were his only student and that made them feel quite special.”

Every year Operation Warm provides 200,000 brand new coats to children in 45 states. The group is funded through individual and corporate contributions. More information on Operation Warm is available at www.operationwarm.org.