GLOUCESTER, Va. — When a renovation at Gloucester High School forced the school's Care Closet to move temporarily, Sally Hartley and her Special Education class stepped up to make sure the program survived for students in need.
Throughout the school's multi-year renovation project, classrooms have taken turns moving into portable, temporary structures on the property, Principal Stefan Mygas told News 3.
This year, the project affected a space called the "Care Closet," a room of donations for students in need — holding everything from school supplies to toiletries, clothing and coats.
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“We also do weekly food bags that the students in my class put together every week," said Sally Hartley, a Special Education teacher at Gloucester High School. “We have a lot of disadvantaged students and unfortunately we have our homeless population is going up so we try to combat that any way possible. We also have students that come to school without coats.”
Having recently taken over the Care Closet, Hartley says she and her class had to move quickly to keep the program open. They moved all the donations into a classroom in the portable structures.
“(It's) definitely my favorite part, my favorite job I’ve had during my teaching experience," Hartley told News 3 of her work with the Care Closet.
For nearly 30 years, Hartley's lessons have gone beyond subjects like math and science. Her Special Education students spend much of their weeks volunteering for different causes.
They not only learn work skills, but empathy and understanding, including for their peers through the Care Closet. Colleagues like school nurse Carol Tassone have taken notice.
"Whatever I don’t have in the clinic, Ms. Hartley has it, so I’m always sending the kids over here. They come in asking for something that’s outside medical, I say, ‘Go see Ms. Hartley,'" Tassone told News 3. “It’s a huge resource because you have no idea some of the basic needs that the children need."
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For Hartley's efforts, Tassone joined News 3 anchor Anthony Sabella to present her with a News 3 Everyday Hero award and a $300 Visa gift card, courtesy of Southern Bank.
“Thank you! I appreciate it! It is emotional," said a tearful Hartley.
She hinted at using the money for a pizza party for her students, who have given so much to the Care Closet and other causes.
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