LEARNING RESOURCES DONATES MORE THAN $250,000 IN EDUCATIONAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS TO JOPLIN, MISSOURI SCHOOLS

With the effects of the tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri in May still being felt, an Illinois-based educational company has found a meaningful way to help the city’s schools that were left in ruins. Learning Resources, located in Vernon Hills, is a leading manufacturer of hands-on learning materials for the classroom and they have donated $256,000 worth of products that is being distributed to 269 Joplin teachers. The 149,418 pieces of classroom materials will help support the city in the rebuilding of its schools. The donation was a company-wide team effort with many Learning Resources’ employees coming together to carefully choose, package and ship the much needed products. When children return to school in August, they will discover classrooms full of new manipulatives, learning games, educational toys, classroom kits, books and much more.  Learning Resources also engaged their sister companies, Educational Insights and ETA/Cuisenaire, to make their own donations of educational items to Joplin schools, bringing the total value of the donation to nearly $400,000.   In addition, more product donations will be forthcoming from Learning Resources’ dealers.

“A school is a place where children can return to a regular routine, and we want to help restore as much normalcy as possible to these hard-hit classrooms,” said Etienne Veber, president and chief executive officer of Learning Resources. “The educational tools we sent will support learning and empower students and teachers. This donation was, quite simply, the right thing to do.”

Recently, Wendy Zachrisen, educational marketing manager of Learning Resources, visited  Joplin to help with the coordination of the donation, including the sorting of materials into teacher packs ready for distribution, which were being stored at the Joplin Schools Food Service warehouse. In addition, Zachrisen previously reached out to Learning Resources’ educational contacts and invited an educational motivational speaker to come and present to teachers as they prepare for the upcoming school year under trying circumstances. Zachrisen, a former teacher, was accompanied on her visit by Kathy Johnson, also a former teacher and part of Learning Resources’ Speaker’s Bureau. Johnson helped Zachrisen and others in the sorting and packing of Learning Resources materials. She has plans to return to Joplin later this summer to conduct workshops with the educators.  

“What a privilege it is for us to be able to give back to Joplin’s children and teachers through this project; we want them to know that they have our support,” said Zachrisen. “And we thank our loyal Learning Resources customer, Debby Guardino, who alerted us on our Facebook page to the great need of the Joplin schools. We are so glad to be able to take part in helping the teachers and children of Joplin reach beyond their current circumstance.”  

Once Learning Resources learned of Joplin’s great need for its schools, Zachrisen led the project and moved into high gear to plan and coordinate the donation, working with Joplin school district personnel and Joplin volunteers. Zachrisen also helped create a special teacher luncheon that took place earlier this month where the educators heard from Zachrisen about the donation, as well as from educational motivational speaker Jason Lindsey from Hooked on Science, who accepted Learning Resources outreach to be a part of the event. After the luncheon, Zachrisen, Johnson and Lindsey visited select summer school classrooms, where they handed out surprise gifts, read to the children and engaged children in fun science demonstrations/experiments.

“Reaching out to Joplin truly embodies our core values of going the extra mile, believing the sky is the limit and taking responsibility,” said Mike Pytlinski, vice president of marketing at Learning Resources. “Coming to the aid of teachers and students is the very reason we exist.”

Anyone can join in the cause by visiting www.donorschoose.org/joplin. To read Joplin teacher comments, see photos of the visit and get updates on the donation, go to Learning Resources Facebook page and search Learning Resources, or click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/learningresources?ref= .