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  • Every morning the first person I see when I walk in the office

  • is Jeannie, and I didn't see her today,

  • which means one of two things.

  • Either she got fired, or she simply

  • helped me surprise someone.

  • So let's see where Jeannie is now.

  • Hi, Jeannie.

  • How are you?

  • Hello.

  • Where are you Jeannie?

  • So I am in North Bergen New Jersey and an amazing title I

  • school that is full of some of your biggest, biggest,

  • biggest fans.

  • And are you there with?

  • So I am with some of the students and faculty

  • of McKinley elementary school.

  • Hi.

  • And who are we surprising today?

  • OK, so today we are surprising two teachers

  • from McKinley elementary school that are actually

  • in the audience right now.

  • Miss Morgana and Miss [INAUDIBLE]..

  • Go see Ellen!

  • OK so you are Maria.

  • Yes.

  • And you are Susan.

  • Hi.

  • So you teach at McKinley.

  • Yes.

  • And what do you teach what grade, and what do you teach.

  • I teach technology for kindergarten

  • through eighth grade.

  • So I teach everyone.

  • Technology.

  • Starting at kindergarten?

  • Yeah.

  • Wow, that's amazing.

  • And you teach?

  • I teach-- I'm a Title I teacher, so I teach fourth, fifth,

  • and sixth grades.

  • I work with kids who need help with math

  • or English, kids who are at risk of failing.

  • Right.

  • OK.

  • So how did you end up how did you end up working there?

  • Fresh out of college, I was working

  • at a very affluent district.

  • And then I got phone calls from north Bergen,

  • and I jumped at the opportunity, of course.

  • And I started working there, and I--

  • I instantly fell in love with these kids.

  • I found out that they needed me more than--

  • and I needed them more than anything.

  • Right.

  • Because the difference between the kids you were teaching

  • and these kids were?

  • I mean, I came from a place where, you know,

  • they had everything.

  • And now I had these kids who they didn't have much.

  • Like my first month of teaching, I

  • had a student who didn't have a backpack.

  • And how do you not have a backpack, you know?

  • I went with my mom every summer and I picked it up.

  • And I realized then that I'm going

  • to be more than their teacher.

  • Right.

  • And Susan, you've always wanted to be a teacher.

  • I mean honestly since I was a little kid,

  • the teachers were just the best people in my life.

  • And education is--

  • I'm a single mom.

  • And the only way I was able to raise my children

  • was by using my education.

  • And it really is what changes your situation in life.

  • Yeah.

  • There's not-- there's nothing else.

  • [APPLAUSE]

  • So I understand you make sure that those kids never

  • leave the school hungry.

  • Tell us about that.

  • Because sometimes they get there late, and they miss breakfast.

  • But that's where most of them get their meals, right?

  • Yes.

  • So especially as a kindergarten teacher,

  • you come in you're like, I'm going to teach math,

  • and I'm going to teach English, I'm

  • going to teach you everything.

  • And you have these kids and they're coming in,

  • and they're just like--

  • And you're like hey, buddy what's going on?

  • And then you realize some of them come to school

  • without breakfast.

  • And it's not because they don't have loving parents.

  • A lot of them come from single family homes.

  • Maybe were dropped off at the babysitter 6 o'clock.

  • So you give them breakfast.

  • Because if they don't eat, they're

  • not going to learn how to read and write.

  • Right.

  • They need that nutrition.

  • They need to have energy.

  • [APPLAUSE]

  • Well, we want to help.

  • Walmart has teamed up with Feeding America again.

  • Last year they secured over 200 million meals

  • for people in need.

  • And they are committed to fight against hunger

  • around the country.

  • They want to help your school, and they are going

  • to give a check for $25,000.

  • Oh my god!

  • Jeannie is there with the students at McKinley.

  • So you said that the kids inspire you every single day.

  • How do they do that?

  • They inspire us by being themselves.

  • You know, we go into work.

  • And we know that we have to teach them reading and writing.

  • But they bring to us so much more than that.

  • I could be walking into work.

  • 15 bags, hung like the bag lady.

  • And I'll see a kid go and open the door

  • for me, 10 like 15 feet away, two other ones they'll come

  • and they'll take my bags for me.

  • These are the kids we work with.

  • And they might not come from much,

  • but they have so much to give.

  • And if that's not inspiring, I--

  • And gratitude, also.

  • I was telling somebody like, it's just the kindness,

  • the manners.

  • Like that's what's so beautiful.

  • There's beauty in their manners.

  • Well, we need more kids to have manners these days.

  • So that's really important.

  • That alone is-- all right.

  • Jeannie, tell me what it's been like to spend the day there

  • with those kids?

  • Oh, man.

  • I've had the best day.

  • These students are-- they're kind, they're smart,

  • they're funny.

  • They are just the best group.

  • They love this school so much.

  • This is actually Rafael and he was telling me

  • earlier about your teacher.

  • Tell me a little bit about what you were

  • saying about your teachers.

  • Well, they are just amazing.

  • They do almost everything for us.

  • This school can't be how it is without them,

  • and we can't pursue what we love without them.

  • They are amazing.

  • Oh, that's so sweet.

  • And what I love about them is like, they love their teachers.

  • They love the school.

  • But Ellen, like, every single one of these kids

  • they love you.

  • So much this is Eugene.

  • Eugene, tell Ellen what you were telling me earlier.

  • So, I was saying that you're such an amazing person,

  • that you give so many things to other schools,

  • and other people, that you make them so happy.

  • And I just started crying in some of them.

  • I'm so sorry.

  • I'm so nervous.

  • I just want to say, hi Morgana.

  • Hi, Miss [INAUDIBLE].

  • Hi Ellen!

  • We love you!

  • So much!

  • All of you!

  • You're awesome.

  • Hey, Jeannie, I understand you have something there

  • for the kids?

  • Yes, I do.

  • OK where are Angela and Vic Mars, and Andrew and Tyson.

  • Come up here.

  • So Ellen sent me this present for your school.

  • Tyson and Andrew, come on over here for me, OK?

  • Ellen sent me this present to give to your school.

  • I want you guys to go ahead.

  • Start opening up that present, and let's see

  • what Ellen gave you guys.

  • Start opening it.

  • Oh, here we go!

  • Let's See what it is.

  • OK.

  • It's a check for $25,000!

  • Another check for $25,000 dollars.

  • That's $50,000.

  • Thank you.

  • That's another on $25,000 as a check.

  • That's $50,000 from Walmart.

  • You can help fight against hunger

  • too by visiting a Walmart store this month,

  • and that will make a difference.

  • Thank you so much.

Every morning the first person I see when I walk in the office

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