Third-grade teacher at Boston's UP Academy Dorchester wins $150K — and donates entire winnings to school
Nikki Bollerman entered Capital One's #WishForOthers online contest last month in the hopes that her UP Academy Dorchester students could each get one new book. She could not imagine what happened next.
BY DAVID BOROFF
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, December 26, 2014, 11:03 AM
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This kind of generosity can't be taught.
A third-grade teacher in Boston won $150,000 in an online contest — then donated her entire winnings to her school.
Nikki Bollerman entered Capital One's #WishForOthers contest last month in the hopes that her UP Academy Dorchester students could each get one new book. She could not imagine what happened next.
“My #wishforothers is that my voracious, adorable, hardworking, loving scholars all leave for their December break with a book in their hand,” read her entry, according to the public charter school's website. “Their love for reading and life is contagious and I would love for them to have the gift of a book they love to read over break.”
To me there was no other real option. I mean, I wished for it for the kids. Where else would it go other than them? As you can see they are so wonderful, and I just wanted it to go to them.
Capital One was so moved that it decided to award Bollerman's students with three new books each — and they gave her an additional $150,000 prize.
Bollerman, in turn, decided to give her winnings to the school.
“To me there was no other real option," she told WBUR. "I mean, I wished for it for the kids. Where else would it go other than them? As you can see they are so wonderful, and I just wanted it to go to them.”
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The books that Capital One provided for the students were "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," 1948's "My Father's Dragon" and Maurice Sendak's hugely popular "Where the Wild Things Are," ABC News reported.
Her generosity even got the attention of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who applauded her "hard work and generosity."
“I want to thank Nikki for your kindness and your humility, and you are certainly a shining example of great things to the city of Boston,” Walsh told WBUR. “We are grateful for your hard work and generosity. You have inspired lots of people with your selfless act.”
