Before saying goodbye to the 2021-22 school year, we released our 2022 Spring Newsletter to highlight the profound stories of how we have supported students, educators and schools. The newsletter is a picture of how we came together for kids. In this blog, we invite readers to read more about Nesha Schumann, our volunteer of the year.
Recreating the story of impacting lives in a positive way.
As a third recipient of the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools’ Billie Bussmann Spirit Award, Nesha Schumann was floored when she received the call. Her gratitude and humbleness of being in the same award category as Nancy O’Brien whisked her words away.
Inspired by students, creativity, and adding a personal touch to a world in a state of transformation – Nesha is the creator of “special hugs” from the Foundation that ignite personal moments for those in the community.
Nesha has held a passion for teaching her whole life. She not only belongs to a family of educators, but she practiced teacher herself as a young girl with her stuffed animals and dolls-you could say she began her first practicum before she even set foot in a school for the first time.
“If you love working with young people, you are born to be a teacher. You conjure your patience, your love, and your expertise and you put it to great use in shaping the lives of young people,” explained Nesha.
Once Nesha retired in 2017 after a 40-year career in education, her passion for students, giving back, and love for creating a special moment in the lives of everyone at Lincoln Public Schools didn’t dim or burn out, it continued through her incredible journey of card marking. A passion Nesha began in 2005, for the Foundation, and has been doing ever since.
Nesha’s incredible spirit of giving is hard at work creating approximately 225 cards every year for donors and others who impact LPS. Each card takes her around 45 minutes, so it’s no small task. For Nesha it’s a task of love and she will continue doing it until the Foundation tells her to stop.
Just like her students, and everyone who has made an impact on Nesha’s life, each card is unique, “no two are every alike,” Nesha tells us.
Cards are sent out from the Foundation on holidays, birthdays, to say congratulations on achievements, and for many more occasions where a personal touch and a hug through the mail will create a special moment in a person’s life.
As Nesha continues her chapters with Lincoln Public Schools, she revisits the beginning of the journey where Nancy O’Brien, last year’s award recipient, met her on the steps of Northeast. Nancy became not only a mentor but an inspiration for Nesha throughout her career. Nesha continues to feel blessed, and a bit overwhelmed, to follow in Nancy’s footsteps as an award recipient. As Nesha said, “Nancy is just one of those people who really affects your life in a positive way, I am so blessed to have called her a friend.”
“If you love working with young people, you are born to be a teacher.”
Check out all the stories in our 2022 Spring Newsletter (download).
