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Tampa teacher asks for backpacks full of school supplies instead of wedding gifts

Posted at 5:56 PM, Jul 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-26 13:41:39-04

TAMPA, Fla. — Roland Park K-8 first grade teacher Kelli Cameron is so passionate about teaching that she used her own wedding to help more than 70 students.

Kelli and Matt Cameron asked their wedding guests to fill a backpack full of school supplies instead of buying them wedding gifts.

Each invitation asked guests to customize their backpack for a boy or girl of a specific grade.

Kelli met with staff at BT Washington Elementary - a school with a high poverty rate - to determine what supplies the students would need.

"You see the kids so excited about the little things, a new backpack, new shoes. And it's so important that they can start the school year excited," said Kelli.

Kelli and Matt donated the 70 backpacks to BT Washington Elementary to be distributed to needy students.