Nominate a Teacher to Clear Their Classroom Wishlist [Nominations Closed]

School is officially back in session. Backpacks have been dusted off, lunchboxes are packed, and classrooms are buzzing with excitement for the new year. As the school year kicks off, we want to hit pause and shine a spotlight on the people who make it all happen for our littles: our teachers.

Teachers want their students to thrive, but it can be challenging without the necessary supplies. This back to school season, Little Sleepies is giving back to educators who give so much of themselves every single day. 

Meet Our Winners!

We are so excited to celebrate the incredible educators chosen for this year’s giveaway! Each of these teachers has gone above and beyond for their students, and we’re honored to help clear their classroom wishlists.

One Grand Prize Winner will be treated to a pajama pizza party with Little Sleepies matching PJs! :

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Tracy Alejandro – Las Yescas Elementary, Texas (Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District)

Tracy is an elementary school music teacher. She serves a population of students who were affected by the floods in Texas this summer, and hopes to use her music curriculum this school year to return joy to her students.

Curt Foust – Fairview Elementary School, Ohio (Central Local School District)

Curt was nominated by his sister for his dedication to teaching for 25 years. In addition to teaching reading to 1st and 2nd graders, Curt also hosts fun runs and 5ks for his students.

Heather Ellis – Mossy Head School, Florida (Walton County School District)

Heather is a preschool teacher in Florida who strives to bring creativity and imagination into her classroom. This is also reflected in her wishlist as she asked for books and art supplies. 

Jasmine Morel – Bronx Little School, New York (New York City Public School)

Jasmine is a second-year elementary school teacher teaching out of an old building without clean water refilling stations for her students. She hopes to provide a water station to help keep kids hydrated so they can focus on learning. 

Lizbeth Rodriguez – Myrtle Tate Elementary School, Nevada (Clark County School District)

Lizbeth is a 3rd grade teacher who focuses on bringing comfort and joy into her classroom. Her wishlist revolves around books that reflect her diverse students to help create positive memories in her class.

Moriah Georges – Dartmouth Elementary, Texas (Richardson Independent School District)

Moriah is a 5th-grade reading and social studies teacher who, like many teachers across the country, is facing increasing class sizes without an increase in resources. She hopes to get organizational supplies to maximize her class space, as well as learning games to make school fun. 

Peyton “McKinley” Day – Estill County Middle School, Kentucky (Estill County School District)

McKinley is a middle school health and PE teacher. She is working to convert an old science classroom into an appropriate health room and has a limited budget to buy updated sports equipment for her PE classes. 

Preslie Kinney – Palmer Elementary School, Texas (Palmer Independent School District)

Preslie is a 4th-grade reading and social studies teacher who was nominated by her sister, Peyton, and her niece, Lily. She’s looking primarily for classroom rewards to help incentivize her students to work hard.

Samantha Horner – Gray Middle School, Kentucky (Boone County School District)

Samantha is an English teacher actively working to instill a love of reading into her students. To do this, she asked her students what books they were interested in reading, and those are the books she has put on her wishlist.

Shira Kolat – Beverly Farms Elementary School, Maryland (Montgomery County Public Schools)

Shira was nominated by her mom, Linda. Shira is a 2nd-grade teacher who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Nonetheless, she is working hard to prepare her classroom for her students this fall.

 

We’re so grateful to everyone who submitted nominations this year. Even if your teacher wasn’t selected, know that every story shared helps shine a spotlight on the dedication of educators everywhere.

Stay tuned on our social channels for photos and stories from these classrooms as they put their new supplies to good use. 

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates and details on our next community giveaway.

Together, we can make classrooms brighter, one wishlist at a time.

Here’s the Big News

We’re inviting you to nominate a teacher in your community to have their classroom wishlist fulfilled! Do you know of an educator who has big plans for their reading corner? How about a teacher who could use a “thank you” in the form of supplies? 

We’ll be choosing 10 outstanding teachers across the U.S. to each receive up to $1,000 worth of items from their 2025 Amazon classroom wishlists. Whether it’s art projects, science kits, or basic supplies, we want to make sure these classroom heroes have everything they need for an incredible school year.

And as a little cherry on top? We'll also treat a winning class to a pajama pizza party with Little Sleepies matching PJs! 

 

Why We're Doing This

There’s no shortage of dedication in today’s classrooms; what’s often missing are the resources. Teachers regularly spend hundreds of dollars of their own money just to keep things running. It’s a quiet reality of the job that often goes unnoticed. This initiative is our way of stepping in to lighten the load, just a little.

Here’s the reality:

• 90% of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies

• On average, that adds up to $500–$750 a year

• Many work 12 extra unpaid hours each week, from tutoring, planning, and going the extra mile

It’s no secret that a well-stocked classroom leads to better student outcomes, boosting confidence, participation, and creativity. So, we figured it’s time to flip the script and give a little something back to the givers.

 

How It Works

Starting July 1, 2025, nominators can submit entries through our official campaign form. Each nomination must include a short essay, either written or recorded as a video, explaining why your chosen teacher deserves to win. Video submissions will count as an extra entry, so if you’ve got something heartfelt to say, speaking directly to the camera is a great way to make it stand out.

Nominations will remain open until August 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM. After the submission window closes, the Little Sleepies team will review the entries and select 10 standout teachers whose stories capture the spirit of this initiative. Winners will be officially announced on August 20, 2025, on this blog page and our social media channels. 

As a bonus surprise, one of the ten winning teachers will also receive a pajama pizza party for their entire class, because nothing pairs better with a fresh school year than comfy jammies and a classroom celebration.

Submit Your Nomination Today [CLOSED]

So, do you know a teacher who goes above and beyond for their students? Now’s your chance to recognize them in a big way. Head to the official nomination form here and tell us why they deserve to have their classroom wishlist cleared.

Whether it’s a thoughtful written submission or a short video message, your nomination could help a teacher receive up to $1,000 in supplies to start the school year off right. And remember, video entries count twice!

Don’t keep it to yourself; share the form with friends, family, parents, and your school community. The more people who nominate, the more incredible teachers we’ll get to learn about.

Let’s help teachers feel seen, supported, and set up for success.

 

Who is Eligible

To be eligible for this giveaway, nominated teachers must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a current, full-time teacher or early childhood educator  living in the United States

• Be employed by a public, private, charter, or magnet school located in the U.S.

• Teach in PreK–12, early childhood, or multi-grade special education classrooms

• Be employed by a public, private, charter, magnet school, or licensed daycare

• Be actively teaching during the 2025–2026 school year

• Not be an employee of Little Sleepies or an immediate family member of one

A Few Notes for Nominators:

• You can nominate any teacher (including yourself!) who meets the above criteria

• Teachers may be contacted to verify eligibility if selected

• Be sure to read the official terms and conditions before submitting your nomination
  
  

Please use the official submission form to submit your nomination.