Cece in the City Cares: A Little Thank You for Our Teachers

When August rolled around, I started thinking about what I wanted to do for the next Cece in the City Cares campaign.

School was starting back here in Georgia, and I immediately thought about the teachers.

Teachers do so much.

They show up every day ready to teach, encourage, listen, guide, support, and sometimes even be a little bit of everything for their students. And while I know one small donation can’t begin to repay everything they do, I wanted to find a simple way to say:

Thank you. We appreciate you. We see you.

🍎 Back-to-School Teacher Appreciation

For August, I decided to make the campaign about teacher appreciation.

I picked up some pens, notebooks, and a few other supplies that I thought teachers could use in their classrooms and put together a small donation to share with a local elementary school.

It wasn’t anything huge.

But I truly believe that sometimes it’s not about how much you give—it’s about the thought behind it.

I wanted these teachers to know that someone was thinking about them as they headed into another school year.

💚 Why Rock Chapel Elementary?

I decided to donate to Rock Chapel Elementary School, and there was a very personal reason behind that choice.

Two of my children attended Rock Chapel Elementary when they were younger.

Now, my kids are grown.

But every time I ride past the school, I find myself thinking about those days when they were little.

It takes me back to a different time—school drop-offs, school activities, watching my kids grow, and all those little moments that seemed so ordinary at the time but mean so much when you look back.

So when I started thinking about where I wanted to take this month’s donation, Rock Chapel Elementary just felt right.

Maybe it was because I pass the school so often.

Maybe it was because of the memories.

Or maybe it was simply because I wanted to give back to a place that was once a part of my children’s childhood.

Either way, I knew that was where I wanted to go.

📚 A Small Gift With a Big “Thank You”

I dropped off pens, notebooks, and other supplies for the teachers.

Again, it wasn’t much.

But I hope the teachers can use the supplies and, more importantly, I hope they know that someone thought about them.

Sometimes a simple “thank you” can mean more than we realize.

I had the opportunity to speak with Principal Mrs. Tameka Muhammad and Assistant Principal Dr. Demetria Miller, who both expressed their appreciation and thanked me for thinking of the school and its teachers.

And honestly, I was happy to do it.

🍎 To Every Teacher Starting a New School Year

If you’re a teacher reading this, I hope you know how important you are.

There will be days when you’re exhausted.

There will be days when the lesson doesn’t go as planned.

There will be days when you’re wondering if you’re really making a difference.

But somewhere down the road, that student you taught may look back and remember you.

They may remember the teacher who encouraged them.

The teacher who believed in them.

The teacher who made them feel seen.

The teacher who helped them discover something about themselves.

And sometimes, years later, those students grow up and realize just how much their teachers did for them.

I know this because I’m watching my own children grow up.

💚 Giving Back Where the Memories Live

This month’s Cece in the City Cares campaign was a little different because it wasn’t just about giving.

It was about remembering.

Remembering my children when they were young.

Remembering the teachers and school staff who helped shape their early years.

And recognizing the educators who are now doing the same for another generation of children.

So, to the teachers at Rock Chapel Elementary and teachers everywhere:

Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for teaching.
Thank you for encouraging our children.
Thank you for everything you do that people may not always see.

My donation may have been small, but it came with a whole lot of appreciation.

I hope the pens get used, the notebooks get filled, and the supplies make someone’s school day just a little easier.

And I hope every teacher who received something knows this:

Someone thought of you.
Someone appreciates you.
Someone wanted to say thank you. 🍎💚