Occasionally, you come across a story that restores your faith in humanity…this is one of them:

From WMUR (video also available):

The graduating class at Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem made a heartfelt decision to give the money raised for their senior class trip to the school’s principal, who was recently diagnosed with cancer…The gift comes less than a week after Vashaw told them she had been diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer. After four years of hard work, the senior class gave her nearly $8,000 for medical care…“It is very hard for me to accept help, and I have no idea what to say to you,” said Vashaw. “She’s just very caring, very selfless, and we wanted to be selfless, too,” said Baker.

Discussion prompts:

Use this story as an opportunity to ask your students to reflect on what makes a meaningful gift and why this one stands out in their minds. You might also ask them what has been the most meaningful gift that they have received and given to someone else.

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.