Joe Laura’s last day at his teaching job wasn’t average. The Spanish teacher had announced that he would be leaving Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Ariz., on April 25, which also just so happened to be his birthday. What he didn’t expect was the surprise of receiving his dream Air Jordan sneakers from some of his students as a special sendoff gift.
“Since our teacher is leaving and today is his birthday, we got him his dream shoes he talks about every day,” 15-year-old Sailor Coutermarsh, one of three students who bought him the gift, said in a tweet featuring a video. The 45-second clip has since gone viral, having amassed 100,000 retweets and 386,000 likes to date.
In the video, Laura’s excitement grows as he unwraps the present. He’s stopped in his tracks for a split second when he realizes that it’s a Jordan Brand shoebox. “No way,” he says.
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“Just open it,” exclaim the students. And so he continues, unveiling a pair of 2012 retro Jordans in French blue. He reportedly always wanted the shoes but couldn’t justify spending $300 for them.
The sentimental moments didn’t stop there, however. Even the Jordan brand retweeted Coutermarsh’s original video, adding a personalized message.
“Thank you for your dedication to the next generation of flight, Mr. Lara. We’re honored to be a part of your classroom,” it said in a caption.
Now, that’s a way to have a true teacher appreciation day.
