BOARDMAN, Ohio – A $10,000 donation from Boardman Subaru will help ease the financial burden on Glenwood Junior High School teachers who buy supplies for their students.
It’s something the company has been doing for the school district for eight years.
“Subaru has something called the Subaru Love Promise, and we take that very seriously,” said Rob Fellman, who owns the dealership. “And that means it’s a real thing. We have a promise and a commitment to not only our customers but our community that we’re a part of – because we want to be a good partner with our community.”
Fellman, his two sons, Robbie Fellman, who is in charge of fixed operations, and John Stanko, vice president and general manager, and other representatives from the dealership Wednesday morning presented the monetary donation and school supply kits as part of Subaru Loves Learning.
“First of all, our business is located in Boardman,” Rob Fellman said of why the company makes the donation. “Secondly, I went through Boardman schools. My kids both went through Boardman schools, right through these buildings. These schools are responsible for what I’ve learned.”
He wants the schools to maintain their quality and have every opportunity to be the best they can.
School Principal Laura McCreery said the partnership with Subaru is important to the school too. The $10,000 will be split among the school’s 49 classroom teachers. About 560 students are enrolled in the school. Teachers will buy the supplies through AdoptASchool.org, and Subaru is that organization’s largest corporate sponsor.
“They each get to purchase items for their classroom, whether it’s classroom supplies, items for the kids,” McCreery said. “They have benefited from it for the past eight years.”
The teachers can use the money to buy supplies for their classrooms that are used 100% by students, she said. That helps ease the strain of teachers who sometimes spend up to $500 of their own money to provide supplies to students.
“And as Mr. Fellman said, [the Fellman family] have history. Their kids went here,” the principal said. “The people that purchase their cars have kids that come here. So it’s that connection that we build upon each year. But we are so, so grateful for everything they do for us.”
Traci O’Brian is a seventh grade English teacher at the school and said the supply boxes are helpful as students often forget pencils and other supplies.
“It’s always nice to have a nice supply,” she said.
O’Brian points to sets of novels she’s able to buy for her students using the money donated.
Stanko, who attended Boardman schools from kindergarten through graduation, likes to see how the donations from the company get put to use. A few years ago, through Subaru Loves Earth, Boardman Subaru made a donation for an outdoor classroom space in the junior high courtyard.
“So you can see things change over time, and especially to be any part of that is amazing,” he said.
Robbie Fellman said the donation and the partnership with Boardman Schools aligns with Subaru’s pledge to be more than a car company.
And he credits the school system for helping to shape his early life.
“I mean, I attribute pretty much everything that I know from the Boardman school system,” he said. “So again, any way that we can help out, we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Pictured at top: Ownership and management of Boardman Subaru, pictured with Boardman Glenwood Junior High teachers and school and district administrators.