QUEEN CREEK, AZ — In a classroom at Cortina Elementary School, students are learning reading, writing, and arithmetic.
But there's another lesson these students are passing with flying colors.
"We focus on that a lot and how much you get out of helping everybody else," explains teacher Cheryl Bodnar.
Bodnar has turned a classroom of big hearts into an entire school of givers, teaching students to find the good in everyone.
"In the Fall, we would have leaves on a tree where they would write things that other kids were doing that were nice... Part of our party will be writing messages to custodians or cafeteria workers or the nurse or the office workers and delivering treat bags -- and it's so fun to see how much the students have and much effort they put into it," Bodnar said.
Bodnar and her classes don't stop there. They've also helped make blankets for nursing homes, feed hungry families, and in the process became an example for us all.
"I feel like we've become this entire community of giving and helping others," Bodnar said.
And Cheryl Bodnar, that's why you're one of Nick's Heroes!
All around us in the Valley, people go above and beyond to help make our community even better. We want to know who they are! Nominate someone today and tell us why they should be one of Nick's Heroes. They could win a $500 gift card from our friends at Valley Toyota Dealers.
