Preschool teacher and cancer survivor honored with $500 scholarship

Preschool teacher and cancer survivor honored with 0 scholarship

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Ms. Tina Thompson is this month’s recipient of the KCBD’s $500 One Class at a Time Scholarship and Recognition, sponsored by Frontier Dodge and Spirit Chrysler.

Thompson is a LISD preschool teacher at Waters Elementary School. She has been teaching for 36 years and says she thoroughly enjoys the countless hours she spends with preschoolers.

“These faces, every day. I can’t tell you that the many, many people in my heart, including these, make my teacher heart grow and grow and grow,” Ms. Thompson said.

She also says she was pretty surprised by this month’s $500 award and plans to spend it on the little faces that bring her so much joy.

“I was so shocked and amazed! Then I felt humbled. I will stock up, I will buy books, outdoor toys that are used gently and sometimes not so gently. I will replace these with the money I have,” Ms. Thompson said.

After being selected for “One Class at a Time,” Thompson, a 10-year cancer survivor, immediately knew which nonprofit she would choose to receive the matching $500 scholarship.

“The Joe Arrington Cancer Center and my doctor and nurses have been part of my journey,” she said. “It’s not the definition of who I am, it’s a part of my journey.”

And it’s that journey that can look different for so many people. This results in them having different needs when diagnosed with cancer.

Darla Porter, a nurse at Joe Arrington Cancer Center, says it is an honor for her and the rest of the center’s staff to care for these patients.

“We can help patients get through a very stressful time in their lives. We can help our patients pay for gas costs to get to and from the center and we can help them get supplies,” she said. “We have a lot of support every step of the way and I think we have a great organization.”

If you would like to nominate a teacher in the South Plains for the $500 One Class at a Time Scholarship, simply go to kcbd.com/oneclass make a template.

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