When Macaroni Kid Newburyport set about creating the ultimate teacher appreciation event, it was surprisingly easy to secure an impressive lineup of generous local sponsors. Our first-annual “Cool Schools” contest, timed to coincide with Teacher Appreciation Week May 2-6, invites parents and community members to vote online daily from April 26-May 9 for their favorite pre-k/kindergarten or early-elementary school. The winning school will receive:

• Catered lunch for faculty/staff, courtesy of BUCCIARELLI’S in Salisbury
• Catered dessert bar for faculty/staff, courtesy of DIANNE’S FINE DESSERTS in Newburyport
• Coffee for faculty/staff, courtesy of NEWBURYPORT STARBUCKS
• $500 cash prize, courtesy of CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE in Newburyport

That’s a lot of GREAT prizes, especially when you consider that the preschool-to-grade 3 Bresnahan School in Newburyport boasts a whopping 120+ faculty and staff!

When I approached Mark Iannuccillo of Bucciarelli’s Butcher Shop about the contest in early March, he estimated that a catered lunch for 120 would cost about $1,200 in sandwiches – and he agreed to participate on the spot.

“Schools are an integral part of our community and Bucciarelli’s loves to support them in any way possible, most importantly because we are members of the community,” he said. “We live, work, and play here. Our kids play in the local parks and are students in the local schools.”

“When people shop small and shop local, it allows us to give back to our community,” he added.

For Dianne’s Fine Desserts, which will be treating the winning faculty and staff to a catered dessert bar, the choice to get involved was simple: “We are so thankful to be a part of this wonderful community and love getting the opportunity to give back, especially when it’s bringing awareness to local teachers and schools,” a company representative said.

Children’s Health Care jumped at the chance to furnish the $500 cash prize for the contest, in large part because supporting early education aligns perfectly with the practice’s emphasis on “full-circle health care.” CHC says it is committed to treating the whole child, including providing a nurse on staff to help parents engage with their child’s school to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) if necessary.

Our local Starbucks store in Newburyport was a particularly easy sell: The store manager, Jackie Savastra, has a daughter at the Bresnahan School! From a company perspective, “Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbors seriously,” she said. “We want to be involved wherever we do business.”

“Now more than ever, communities are relying on the private sector to share resources and help drive meaningful change,” she added, noting that April is Starbucks’ Global Month of Service, in which the company completes thousands of local service projects worldwide.

“The bottom line for these local businesses is that supporting Macaroni Kid Newburyport’s “Cool Schools” teacher appreciation contest is a great way to get involved in the community and celebrate what we can accomplish for our schools when we all pitch in together.”

“For complete contest details, and to find a contest entry form, please visit http://newburyport.macaronikid.com.”