A Columbus East senior and aspiring teacher found a way to give back to a Mt. Healthy Elementary teacher who gave her so much.
That was the goal for Olivia Fuel, 18, who lost her dad when she was in fourth grade. Fuel credits her fourth-grade teacher, Jeannie Long, for helping guide her through the grieving process.
“She always made sure my grades were up and checked in on me to make sure I was doing well,” Fuel said. “She really never let me get down about anything, even through the rest of my school career.”
Fuel decided one way to repay Long and the other teachers at Mt. Healthy was to purchase and donate school supplies to each classroom teacher as part of her senior project.
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She started collecting supplies and monetary donations in September, and by Feb. 21, she had collected $2,074.58 from area businesses and bake sales to purchase more than 3,000 pieces of supplies, including backpacks, pencils, crayons and glue.
Fuel’s mother, Sheryl Moore, helped her daughter deliver the supplies in late February.
“This is an event that will change many people’s lives,” Moore said. “The students, the teachers, the parents and my daughter will all benefit from this. She has learned so much about managing money, time and effort, and I have seen her mature through this process.”
The most rewarding part for Fuel was seeing the teachers’ reactions to the thousands of supplies.
“They were amazed, and that’s an understatement,” Fuel said. “It was unbelievable to see them so surprised about my hard work.”
Now, Fuel gets to see the supplies she donated in use. Through the C4 teacher education program, Fuel is a student intern in Long’s classroom at Mt. Healthy.
“It’s so amazing to see the supplies in the hands of the students,” Fuel said.
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Olivia Fuel
Age: 18
High school: Columbus East
College: IUPUC
Area of study: Elementary education
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