A Massachusetts teacher who won $150,000 in an online contest donated all of the prize money to her school, ABC News reported.
Nicole "Nikki" Bollerman, a third grade teacher at UP Academy Dorchester, was honored by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh last Monday for donating the money to the year-old public charter school.
Bollerman entered the Capitol One sponsored #WishForOthers contest in November and made a wish for her students to have a book to enjoy for the holidays.
"My #WishForOthers is that my voracious, adorable, hardworking, loving scholars all leave for their December break with a book in their hand," reads Bollerman's contest entry.
Not only did Capital One grant Bollerman's wish with three books for each student, but they also gave her the contest grand prize of $150,000.
It didn't take long for Bollerman to decide what she wanted to do with the money.
"To me there was no other real option," Bollerman said at City Hall, where she and her students gathered as the Mayor thanked her for her generosity, Boston's WBUR reported.
"I mean, I wished 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," Bollerman said.
Her students are now proud owners of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" by Jeff Kinney, "My Father's Dragon" by Ruth Stiles Gannett and "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak.
The teacher said she and school administrators will make sure the money will help "improve the lives of the students," such as increased computer access and lessons in coding, ABC News reported. The school has not yet announced any official plans.
Walsh praised Bollerman for her "kindness and humility" towards the school, which used to be failing but is now one of the highest performing schools in the state, WBUR reported.
"We are grateful for your hard work and generosity. You have inspired lots of people with your selfless act," Walsh said.
