Wichita teacher kind-heartedly asks her students to be part of her wedding

July 1, 2021: Amy Renee Leiker]

Alexandra Stamps had a sweet proposal for her fifth-grade class:

Will you be a part of my wedding?

In a darling gesture that not only drew out delighted squeals from her pack of 10- and 11-year-old students but is also quickly gaining her some Internet fame, Stamps asked the kids to be her junior bridesmaids and groomsmen.

The McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School teacher is getting married to fiancé Mason McDowell in July. After nearly a year of dating, McDowell proposed to her on Saturday.

Immediately Stamps knew she wanted the kids she’s been teaching this academic year to be involved in their ceremony. McDowell did, too.

“I love them and they’re part of my life. I want them to be up there with me because they’re my biggest fans,” she said in an interview.

She even posted a TikTok video announcing her plans — which included giving the girls faux pearl necklaces and the boys colorful sunglasses — the day before she popped the question to her class. Everyone also got rainbow-striped lollipops.

A video of the proposal and the children’s reactions Stamps posted on TikTok generated more than 10 million views, 3 million likes and 20,000 comments.

“I had like six or seven kids that were crying real tears when I asked,” she said in the interview.

“It was super fun.”

“I thought, like, my friends would see it” and maybe the small number of teachers who follow the TikTok account she started at the beginning of the academic year to connect with her students and share cute classroom videos and teaching tips, Stamps said.

“But I had no idea that it would blow up like this.”

The Couple's Wedding Plans

Speaking of families, Stamps says the students' parents have been "unanimously positive" about their children being in the wedding party. In fact, the parents are invited to the wedding too. "I asked a few moms before I asked the class if they were in support of this… Everyone's really excited," says Stamps. "My fiancé actually asked his third-grade class to be junior bridesmaids and junior groomsmen with us so he, of course, is in support as well. It's just going to be a really fun day and I'm so excited to include these kids and their families in my special day."

Stamps said she didn’t know the video would draw so much attention. She’s already had a week that’s kept her busy with center stage moments, including the engagement and winning one of the Wichita Public Schools’ Distinguished Classroom Teacher awards.

Together, the couple wants to make an impact on young minds as educators. "I became a teacher because I've always really loved school. I wanted to be the kind of teacher who would impact my students' lives positively," she muses. "I love watching my students grow academically as students, but also socially and emotionally—as people. I would definitely say that's the most rewarding aspect of my job."

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Tags: #Good_News, #Kindness, #Students, #Wedding, #The_Brighter_Side_of_News