Teacher Uses Fame to Buy New Books for Students
April 19, 2015 – S
amuel Pearce is a 24-year-old Brooklyn-based English teacher. He made headlines earlier this month when it was discovered that while he was away from teaching middle school students, he was posing, literally, as a runway model under the name “Sam Worthen.” Pearce has been using the buzz he’s received for a greater purpose. That of raising money to buy books for his students, he told The Huffington Post in an email.
Pearce who has worked for big names including Diesel and Alexander McQueen started a GoFundMe campaign earlier this month, and raised over $5,000 in 72 hours. Pearce told HuffPost that he has placed the first order of books, a total of 30 different titles, and expects his students to have new ones by Monday.
[one_fourth]
[/one_fourth][three_fourth_last]
“There are so many hardworking teachers and students who would benefit from outside funding. I am fortunate to have received publicity,” the dedicated teacher told HuffPost. “I am surprised and deeply grateful.”
Pearce has long been brainstorming ways to bring more and more books to his students. Many of them didn’t have copies at home. Now they are able to request any titles that they would like which will pique their interest in reading. Pearce said that he felt uneasy about his students finding out about his other identity, but once the news of his two professions broke, he was inspired by his agent to look at things a bit differently.
“I didn’t see how my students knowing that I’m a model could possibly benefit them,” Pearce said of the initial publicity. “I called my agent, George Brown, who at some point said the phrase ‘public cause.’ That sparked the connection in my head: to accept publicity and use it to raise money for my kids.”
The teacher is challenging his 67 students, that by mid-June, they will read a total of 300 books as a class.
Pearce explains that many other passionate teachers have trouble getting materials to their students, even though this fundraiser was a success. He hopes that people will help other educators raise money for adequate supplies.
To learn more about Pearce and his fundraiser, visit his GoFundMe page here.
