When a 4th grader wanted to show his support for his favorite university on “College Colors Day,” he took matters into his own hands and created a unique University of Tennessee design. Unfortunately, some bullies singled him out for his creation. In a heartwarming display of support, UT stepped in to defend him by transforming his homemade shirt into a widely-produced design that quickly became their best-selling tee shirt.
In 2019, Laura Snyder, a teacher at Altamonte Elementary School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, raised awareness about a touching incident on her Facebook page. She shared how a student, who didn’t have any UT apparel, improvised by drawing the school logo on a piece of paper and attaching it to an orange shirt.
Share in a Florida elementary student's Volunteer pride by wearing his design on your shirt too! Pre-order today for a late September expected delivery. A portion of proceeds from every shirt sold will be donated to @STOMPOutBullyng .https://t.co/NdnTtYREFL pic.twitter.com/OeTZvgC09Y
— VolShop (@UTVolShop) September 6, 2019
“When the day finally came, he was filled with excitement as he eagerly showed me his shirt,” she wrote. “I was impressed by his dedication to go the extra mile and create his own label.”
However, his spirits were crushed after a disappointing experience in the cafeteria.
According to her, a group of girls sitting at the adjacent lunch table, who didn’t even partake in college colors day, had ridiculed the sign he had pinned to his shirt. The incident left him utterly devastated.
Laura attempted to uplift his spirits by offering to purchase him a UT shirt. Additionally, she reached out to her followers, inquiring if any of them had connections at the university who could “add a special touch” to the experience for him.
Bullied Student Gets Several Major Surprises From the University of Tennessee
Within 24 hours, Laura’s post gained immense popularity and numerous individuals reached out to her, expressing their support. Additionally, the University of Tennessee’s authorities became aware of the post highlighting the student’s experience with bullying, and they went the extra mile to provide assistance and support.
The student received a UT merchandise swag bag as a warm welcome from the university.
Laura shared an update expressing her student’s amazement at the contents of the box. She mentioned that he proudly wore the jersey and one of the many hats included. The sight of this touched the hearts of those who witnessed it, with some feeling goosebumps or shedding tears. Laura also took the opportunity to explain that her student’s story had inspired and impacted numerous individuals.
UT made an exciting announcement by turning the student’s design into an official shirt. Moreover, they committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from each sale to support an anti-bullying foundation.
Laura continued, “His jaw dropped when I told him that his design was being made into a real shirt and people wanted to wear it. He had a big smile on his face, walked taller, and I could tell his confidence grew today!”
The University of Tennessee went above and beyond to support the bullied student by offering them a four-year scholarship.
The final numbers are in! 112,715 T-shirts sold. $952,101 raised for @STOMPOutBullyng. Thank you to the @UTVolShop, @Thredsinc, #VolNation, and to the fourth grader in Florida who started it all. See you in the Class of 2032! pic.twitter.com/qjVWDEvYYr
— UT Knoxville (@UTKnoxville) December 11, 2019
UT fans enthusiastically rallied behind the student, demonstrating their unwavering support. An impressive 112,715 shirts were sold by the university, resulting in an incredible $952,101 raised for STOMP Out Bullying. Even a year after its initial release, the shirt remained the most sought-after item at the school, as reported by Knox News.
