Brockton School Teacher Surprised with Random Act of Kindness

Denise Gurley, a 4th Grade teacher at Gilmore Elementary School in Brockton posted about a recent experience at a Dollar Tree in a local community group. After seeing her post we reached out and asked her if it was OK to share it with our readers. This is what she posted and she also sent along some additional information:

“Thursday night, I went to the Dollar Tree around the corner from our house on Winthrop street to restock my prize box for my classroom. I frequent this Dollar Tree and people are always able to tell that I’m a teacher by my purchases lol, and most of the cashiers know me on a first name basis!

“When I got the register, I started putting the 75+ items I had gotten for prizes onto the conveyor belt, and the cashier told me that earlier in the day there was a customer in the store talking about me. I was confused, and she said that the woman described me as the “young brunette teacher always buying stuff for her students”. I giggled and didn’t think much of it. Then the cashier said that the woman purchased a $25 gift card and asked the cashier to hold it for me for the next time I came in.”

“I WAS FLOORED! I thought she was joking! The two ladies behind me in line, who I had apologized to multiple times for having so many items and that they got stuck behind me, were so kind and sweet in saying how much I deserved the gift card! Love the decent people out there that keep my belief strong that the world isn’t all bad. ? Thank you SO much to that generous customer, you are incredible. ??”
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In our follow up conversation Denise made the following statement, which we are including in full.

“Let me preface that my school/district does provide teachers with supplies. Buying things for my kids is something I enjoy because it makes them happy and feel special. So buying prizes for our prize box is something I really love to do because they work hard to earn incentives and their hard work makes my job easier and enjoyable! This is my 11th year teaching, and I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on my classroom and my students, but I choose to because it makes them happy and makes me happy. My biggest addiction is buying books lol I have over 2,000 books in my classroom library that I’ve built over the last ten years haha. But I don’t regret a single cent spent!” “I am so incredibly grateful for the kindness shown to me by a complete stranger, it really gives me hope.”
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We’ll simply say this; great job Denise, thank you for all that you do, and we know lots of other dedicated teachers who are following in your footsteps! Here is a photo of Mrs. Gurley’s classroom.