Shannon Hall

Journal & Courier

DAYTON — A group of students surprised their teacher Monday with a rare surprise — the gift of color.

Beau Scott, the 4th and 5th grade higher ability teacher at Dayton Elementary School, is color blind. At stoplights, the colors look the same.

A few of his students wanted to do something special for him. Claire De Lon, a 5th grader, and Nori Patterson, a 4th grader, both were trying to raise money for color-seeing glasses for Scott.

"It must be really hard for him to see that way," Claire said.

Nori said she and her family wanted to do something nice for Scott, and the two girls found out they were both trying to do the same thing.

Scott is one of Claire and Nori's favorite teachers, so it made sense to do something for him.

So the two joined forces and started to raise money for the glasses.

Claire sold decorative mice with candy cane tails, and students in the class donated anywhere from $5 to $10 each to raise a little more than $300 for Scott's glasses.

Both Nori and Claire were nervous because, in some cases, the glasses don't work for everyone.

"I know he would be grateful for the gift from everyone, but I hope it works," Nori said.

The students told Scott they wanted to perform a Harry Potter "magic trick." So when he closed his eyes, the students gave him a wand, a broom and his Quidditch goggles — also known as the color-seeing glasses.

Then, on the count of three, the kids held up a sign saying "Merry Christmas" on different colors of paper.

At first, he didn't notice the change, he said. But after lifting the glasses slightly, he could see the difference.

"Oh my gosh, guys," he said. "Oh my gosh. This is awesome. I can see the colors."

His wife, Aliya, was in attendance, and the two discussed what he'll be able to do with the glasses.

One thing he's looking forward to is picking out clothes for his children, he said with a laugh.

"Now you can see at stop lights," Aliya Scoot, his wife, said with a smile.

Scott and the students went outside to see all the varieties of colors there.

"Your clothes look, like, different out here than inside," he told the kids.

Fall has always been Scott's favorite season despite not being able to see the colors.

Now he's excited to see all the colors.

He's heard of a set of trees along Northwestern Avenue that, when the sun hits them just right, looks like they're burning.

"I'm so excited to see all the colors," he said.

Scott thanked all his students several times Monday morning.

"It just really, really means the world to me," he said. "Thank you, guys."

When asked if he'll take off the glasses much — "not today," was his reply.

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