It all began with a question from my second grade student: “How much is a million?” I responded with: “It is a big number and it is 1 followed by 6 zeros.” But how would I show that child what a million actually looked like. I decide to begin collecting a million “somethings.” I chose to collect a million tea tags. So my quest began. Then one day at a summer curriculum workshop I continued to collect tea tags by asking my colleagues to give me their tea tags.
One teacher suggested I write a letter to The New York Times about my quest. I did and an article about my quest appeared in the NJ edition of The New York Times on November 27.1988. Following that article I received much media attention (over 80 articles and numerous radio and TV coverage).
Thousands of tea tags came “pouring in” and I added unique educational activities related to the collecting of a million tea tags to my curriculum. Then my personal interest in tea “everything” began to take off.
Today I possess an overflowing collection of everything related to tea. And I mean everything! There is always something about tea “brewing” in my house.
With much joy, I would like to share my collection with the world by establishing a unique tea museum to emphasize the following:
- Look at what you can do with one idea!
- Look at the kindness of strangers!
- Look at how you can reach the world in a positive way!
Tea Lady Rose 