Anderson County teacher aims to make wish list sharing effort year-round (WATE)

Posted Date: 08/09/2023

CLAXTON, Tenn. (WATE) — An Anderson County Schools teacher is paying it forward again this year. 

For a second year, Shana Readel is making other teachers’ wish lists become a reality. 

“I just wanted others to receive this same love and care that I felt. I never knew it would grow to this much,” said Readel, who is a fifth-grade teacher at Claxton Elementary School. 

Last year, she created the “East Tennessee Teachers #ClearTheList” Facebook group for teachers to post their Amazon wish lists. 

It was so successful she relaunched the initiative and she hopes to make it permanent.  

“I am working on starting this as a nonprofit. My goal is by December to get it set up to reach out to these donors and businesses and make it actually official to create more of those partnerships in East Tennessee,” said Readel. 

Right now, people and businesses can request to join the Facebook group to access the wish lists and then choose what they want to donate and complete the purchase. 

“I have had anywhere from book sets that they’ve really been wanting. Fidgets for social and emotional needs I’ve had this year some teachers reach out and receive flexible seating and they’ve been able to redo how their classroom is run and set up to meet the needs of their students this year,” said Readel. 

Readel says the transition to a nonprofit would help teachers go above and beyond in the classroom year-round. 

The “East Tennessee Teachers #ClearTheList2023” Facebook page currently has 921 members.