Zumba Instructor Offering Free Classes To Oklahoma Teachers

A fitness instructor in Tulsa is doing her part to show appreciation to Oklahoma teachers; she also hopes to start a movement.

Christy Hays said teachers have not only an important job but a hard one. That's why she wants to give all teachers a free opportunity to dance their stress away.

Hays, a Zumba instructor, was at a Leadership Tulsa meeting when Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist revealed how much Oklahoma teachers make.

"I was really shocked when she took us through an exercise of the take home pay of a typical teacher, all their expenses, and what they're left with at the end of the month, if anything," she said.

Hays knew she wanted to do something to help, so, the question became if the state can't raise teacher pay, what can local business owners do to relieve some of the financial stress teachers feel?

"I came home, I thought about it for a little bit, and that's when I posted, ‘Hey, we're going to offer free classes to any teacher that wants to come to our class,’" Hays said.

When local teachers saw the post, they couldn't believe it.

"I thought I read it wrong. I thought, ‘Did I just read that right?’ And I actually sent her an email right back saying, ‘Did I just read that right? Free classes for teachers? Wow,’" teacher Jocelyn Stroud said. "It's inspirational that someone has the heart for that."

Teacher Callie Aunko said, "As soon as I heard about it I had to share it with all of my coworkers so they knew, too."

But Hays doesn't want it to stop with her.

"I also really wanted to spark the idea for other businesses to have the same concept," she said. "That is just a really tough job. And for them to choose that profession and the pay that they receive for it…it's really hard. And the recognition and reward is not necessarily there."

Hays has classes four times a week and teachers are welcome at any and all of them.

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