Educator Appreciation Days at Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble bookstore chain is once again celebrating those who help shape young minds as it holds its Educator Appreciation Days events at its stores each Saturday and Sunday through January.

Teachers and administrators from pre-K through grade 12 can take advantage of some solid discounts, as long as they’re enrolled in the free Barnes & Noble Educator Discount Card Program. Those who aren’t can still get in on the promotion by signing up at any store, says Susan Hladky, the community business development manager for the Barnes & Noble store in East Northport. “They just need proof that they are teachers and fill out an application. It’s very simple,” she says. “The educator card is good for two years.”

Cardholders can score 25 percent off the list price of most books for sale, as well as DVDs, toys, games, music and gift items, whether for personal or classroom use. In addition, some Nook items are available for 10 percent off, as are some edibles from store cafes.

On the other hand, any middle or high school student looking to honor the teacher they think is the top can enter the Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest. Interested students should go to barnesandnoble.com and find the contest page.

Students who write the selected winning pieces get a certificate of recognition, and are honored at their local store during a ceremony where winning teachers also get recognized. Educators who are chosen receive a $500 Barnes & Noble Gift Card. The ultimate winner lands $5,000, as does his or her school. The student who writes the national winning entry wins a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card, a Nook and the opportunity to personally read his or her entry.

“There’s nothing more heartwarming than to hear a child read the words they took so much care in crafting about how a special teacher inspired them to reach for their dreams,” says Hladky, “A bookstore, after all, is much like a school. . . . Both are places of learning and aspiration.”