Abbott Elementary, shining a spotlight on a Yuma teacher

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The award-winning ABC comedy, Abbott Elementary is all about shining a spotlight on dedicated, passionate teachers. And that show recently shined a spotlight on a teacher in Yuma. 

The show’s creator Quinta Brunson knows teachers take money out of their own salary to buy items for their classroom.

So, she decided to take money out of the show’s marketing budget and give it to real life teachers, including Leta Ferrell from Palmcroft Elementary.

Leta Ferrell has been a special education teacher since 2015. She says teaching is her passion. 

“Special education teaching is a joyful, joyful, job to do. Not a lot of people can do it, I’ve been told. You have to have a lot of patience and understanding and just love,” said Mrs. Ferrell.

Mrs. Ferrell was chosen to receive $1,000 dollars to fund projects in her classroom. 

“It was so exciting to know that that large amount can actually fund quite a few projects,” she said.

Abbott Elementary Teacher Spotlight worked with donors choice to find teachers nation-wide, and Mrs. Ferrell says she is a fan of the show.

“I love Abbott Elementary. Some parts of it you just laugh because we think like wow, do we act like that?” said Mrs. Ferrell.

Abbott Elementary is a comedy, but it also highlights serious issues, like the lack of funding for public schools across the country.

“It does help a lot. I could be spending 500 dollars a year on snacks alone,” said Mrs. Ferrell.

But what will Mrs. Ferrell spend her $1,000 dollars on? 

"Right now, we’re just kind of looking at school supplies for next year and I have expressed that, yeah, I get the thousand dollars, but I’m willing to share that with my colleagues to help them with their school supplies as well. School supplies have gone up in prices and it’s really hard," she said.

She says the money will impact countless students, not just hers. 

“Donors Choose is really the one we want to thank because that thousand dollars is gonna go a long way and is gonna help a lot of students here,” she said.