Mellichamp Elementary School 2006-2007 Teacher of the Year Felisha Williams had her fifth-grade students engaged in a new lesson when she heard a knock on the door.

To her surprise, when the door opened she saw representatives from OfficeMax ready to donate more than $1,000 worth of school supplies to her classroom.

"I was not expecting that. It was a great surprise," Williams said.

Mellichamp was chosen by OfficeMax and Adopt-A-Classroom to be a part of their A Day Made Better program. Williams was one of more than 900 teachers throughout the country to receive supplies from OfficeMax in October.

"I'm going to pass out," Williams said as she sifted through the many items donated to her class. The children were also gathered around, their excitement comparable to the feeling children have on Christmas morning.

Among the items she received were a leather chair, a rolling cart and a digital camera.

However, the item that most intrigued Williams was a crayon sharper.

"I've never used one before," said Williams, who also favored a label maker and dry erase markers.

Williams said she routinely purchases supplies for her classroom out of her own pocket. Anytime she sees something in the store that will benefit her students, she will buy it.

"I make a sacrifice to get whatever I need to help my students," she said.

Williams is a native of Atlanta who moved to Holly Hill when she married her husband John eight years ago. They have two children, ages 2 and 7.

She is currently attending classes at Charleston Southern University for a graduate degree in elementary education, which will be completed next May. She hopes to one day become a principal and plans to further her education by obtaining a principal specialist degree.

"The more I get done, the more I can better help myself and my students because the more I learn, the more they learn," she said.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys participating in church activities.

Mellichamp Principal Beverly Stroman-Spires expressed gratitude for the donation.

"It indeed takes all of us in a community working together for a school to be successful. We applaud OfficeMax's dedication to the public schools in Orangeburg," she said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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