How many Crayola products do you think you could grab in a 64-second shopping spree? That is exactly what Salisbury Elementary School teacher Shannon Stokes was trying to figure out as she scoped the Crayola Experience store in Easton May 8.

The Press caught up with Stokes as she set up her game plan, with the help of her students, on which products to grab.

“I’m so excited. As I left the classroom, the kids were cheering ‘Go Mrs. Stokes’ so I’m thrilled to have a head start in getting supplies for my classroom for next year ... getting set up. I feel very lucky,” Stokes said.

“I love every opportunity to bring creativity into the classroom. I’ve been eyeing these activity kits, there’s a science one, there’s a fossil one ...”

Stokes was one of three local area teachers chosen by Crayola to take part in a shopping spree of the company’s products, in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week. Each teacher had 64 seconds to grab Crayola products and place them in a bin.

Stokes filled her bin to the encouraging cheers of her students, past students, SES families and teachers.

This is the second year the company has held a teacher’s shopping spree, with winners chosen from over 2,000 entries.

According to Crayola Marketing and Sales Manager Abby Dentner, the relationship between Crayola Experience and local teachers is an important one.

“We believe in celebrating teacher’s year-round at Crayola,” Dentner explained. “They keep students creatively alive and we appreciate that. Young and old want to be creative.

“We offer teachers a free annual pass all year round. They can come by with their teacher credentials,” Dentner said.

Speaking on the importance of creativity in the learning process, Stokes made the point, “Even synthesizing their learning every day, there’s all these concepts for them to be able to make it concrete, drawing it or molding it.

“I have kids at my blue table everyday with those little pearler beads ... sometimes they are making things to what we are learning, sometimes they make flies and flowers. Anything to learn hands-on makes such a difference,” Stokes said.

In addition to what Stokes was able to grab, SES received a prize pack valued at more than $5,000 comprised of markers, colored pens, Model Magic, chalk, 200 admission passes for SES, as well as specific admission passes for Stoke’s classroom.