Washington Students Sing Christmas Carols in Front Yard of Teacher Who Has Cancer & Has Been Away on Medical Leave

Laurie Burpee, a primary school teacher on medical leave battling breast cancer, was delighted to see her students who surprised her by singing Christmas carols in her front yard.

The students of York Elementary School in Vancouver, Washington, rallied together to bring the holiday spirit over to one of their teacher's homes and show their support to Burpee.

As Burpee continues her cancer treatment, she had been on medical leave from the school since October. The doctors had told her of her medical condition earlier this year in May.

THE STUDENTS EXPRESSED THEIR LOVE

In a segment by "KGW News," one of Burpee's students, Alysha Scala, expressed how she felt that her teacher was her family, and the 9-year-old loved Burpee and missed seeing the elementary teacher in the school hallways.

The feeling of love was mutual amongst all members of the school present in Burpee's lawn, and principal Don Harris wanted to do something more for the teacher known for random acts of kindness.

Harris contacted the social initiative "Kindness 911," an institution that helps law enforcement recognize people who have made a positive impact on the community to give back to the primary school teacher.

BURPEE IS A KIND SOUL

Principal Harris also explained how Burpee would not even accept gifts on her birthday but would instead ask everyone to do a random act of kindness.

Recognizing such a kind-hearted person, "Kindness 911" alongside the Clark county sheriffs awarded the second-grade teacher with a kindness citation.

Middle school teacher Jason Hattrick came up with the idea of "Kindness 911" to help people have positive experiences with law enforcement with the impacts last a long time.

BURPEE'S STRUGGLE WITH CANCER

Burpee was first diagnosed for breast cancer in May but after a double mastectomy realized that she actually had a rare salivary gland cancer located in one of her breasts.

The primary school teacher has undergone six rounds of radiation and three rounds of chemotherapy in hopes of beating cancer that has now metastasized to her lungs.

In Burpee's honor, the York Elementary School has launched a project that celebrates a day of random acts of kindness on her birthday.

THE KIND TEACHER

Despite the difficult hand she was dealt, the kind teacher left behind a class of 20-second graders with a legacy of kindness. Previously, another teacher of Georgia also showed a rather unusual act of kindness.

A special education teacher Colleen Powell from Lakeview Academy in Milledgeville had invited three of her 10-year-old students to her wedding.

The kind-hearted teacher claimed that she considered the three kids to be her own as she had no offsprings of her own.