The staff at Bradford Academy are a resilient, selfless group of individuals who continue to go above and beyond for their students. We take great pride in preparing our students to be global leaders, and this starts by having remarkable staff to help lead by example.
WJR-AM News 760 of Detroit hosts an annual segment in December, honoring special military families each week of the season and gifts them a wonderful holiday surprise. Christina Hurt, Bradford K-5 technology teacher, and family were nominated by a family member for their selfless community service to WJR’s Christmas on Us initiative. Read below for a heartwarming story of how a simple act of kindness can go a long way.
—
In the midst of the 2020 global pandemic, Christina Hurt and her family quickly identified a great need in their community of people who could use extra support. Ranging from picking up groceries or lending a hand around the house, the Hurt family rose to the occasion and dedicated their time to help anyone who needed it.
As a former military member with experience in the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical sector, William Hurt knew from the beginning of the pandemic in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, it was of the utmost importance for people to stay home and keep interaction to a minimum. Simple day-to-day tasks such as grocery shopping and basic household maintenance became more difficult as cases began to rise. With no hesitation, the family posted on their local community app that they would be providing assistance to anyone who needed support. Within moments, people in town flooded their phones with messages requesting their help. “There were some people who lived alone, and even had COVID, and couldn’t get out of the house because of it. So, for them, it was a lifesaver,” Christina Hurt shares as she explains how her husband’s familiarity with the virus helped their family execute the support services in a safe and efficient way.
As an educator and selfless community member, Christina Hurt also prioritized providing support to kids in the area who were starting to develop emotions of worry about what could happen next. “We talked with some of the kids about the situation who haven’t been able to see their friends or are worried about their families and helped them better understand the situation and keep a more positive attitude.” She continues, “It’s important to give back because it’s what gives people hope to move forward. In times like this, we need each other. We need to realize that hope still exists.”
The community of Bradford is proud to have educators like Mrs. Hurt demonstrating altruistic acts of generosity when times call for help. When asked what brings the most joy being a teacher at Bradford, she proudly shared, Seeing the students every day. They bring so much happiness, which is so needed at a time like this and I enjoy our time together. However, I also want to state that I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without my colleagues and the administrators who continue to be so supportive and show such strength and creativity during this time in finding new, innovative ways to reach our students. I couldn’t have gotten through this without them.”