Local teachers in Arvest Bank communities will receive a total of $72,500 through our seventh annual “We Love Teachers” initiative.
“We Love Teachers” will provide 145 $500 gifts to individual teachers who work at public state-funded schools throughout Arvest’s four-state footprint. Recipients are selected by partnering schools’ administrations based on classroom needs.
Arvest’s initiative aims to address a widespread need among teachers. According to a 2021 AdoptAClassroom.org survey, teachers spent an average of $750 of their own money for classroom needs during the 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, 30 percent of respondents said they spend $1,000 or more per year.
AdoptAClassroom.org, a national nonprofit that provides funding to U.S. schools and teachers, said teacher spending has increased 25 percent since it began its surveys in 2015.
In the six-year history of the “We Love Teachers” initiative, Arvest has awarded more than $320,000 to more than 640 teachers. This year’s recipients will be chosen by Sept. 16 and notified no later than Sept. 30.