The teachers at Clarke Street School probably thought this was going to be your usual assembly.

That is until their students started cheering, the music started pumping and the big banner was unfurled that said Thank You.

Once the befuddlement from the surprise wore off, the gesture became clear.

Northwestern Mutual Donating ten thousand dollars to off set the out of pocket expenses so many teachers pay because their budgets just don't give them what they need to help their students do their best.

It was clear that the money was a big relief when you consider the average teacher spends about 500 dollars of their own income for classroom supplies.

“It definitely takes a village and I don't mean to be cliche-ish but it definitely takes a village to do what we're doing here and to all the teachers I want to thank you for what you do as well. We appreciate you,” said Daryl D. Burns Sr, principal of Clarke Street School.

The cold hard cash will go to good use,

“I was blown away. So when we walked in and all the kids cheering. It was just a really great feeling what a great way to cap off this week,” said Shannon Ruhrig, Resource Teacher.

Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is providing each teacher an allotment of $100 each.