Ice Cream Party Starts Milton High Students' Spring Break

More than 2,200 students at got a great send off for Spring Break when Blue Bell Creameries showed up with thousands of ice cream sandwiches on Friday, March 30. It was an ice cream party in honor of Milton's own Shelby Ann Steinhauer, a Milton French teacher and one of Georgia's 10 Teacher of the Year finalists.

While the kids, faculty and staff got ice cream sandwiches, Steinhauer also received a cooler containing several half gallons of her favorite Blue Bell Ice Cream flavors, Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, and a congratulatory letter from Paul Kruse, president and CEO of Blue Bell Creameries. Blue Bell has contracts with Fulton County Schools, Gwinnett Schools and other school systems to provide milk.

"It was so awesome for Blue Bell to bring ice cream for the whole school.  The students thought it was a fabulous way to begin spring break," Steinhauer said. "As a teacher and a community member, I appreciate Blue Bell's commitment to supporting Georgia schools."

“At Blue Bell, we believe there is no finer work you can do in this world than be a teacher,” said Kruse in a release about the party. “The finalists for Georgia Teacher of the Year are among the most outstanding members of their profession.  We are honored to have the opportunity to honor these fine teachers for their wonderful work.”

“We wanted to recognize, not only these teachers, but the entire student body and staff at their schools.  Part of our purpose is to remind all the students how fortunate they are to have these teachers and their other dedicated teachers with them every day.”

For those students and staff members who missed out on the ice cream, not to worry. Blue Bell had plenty of ice cream sandwiches left, and was putting them in the school cafeteria's freezer.

The winner of the statewide competition will be announced in May.  The winner will represent Georgia in the 2013 National Teacher of the Year competition.