Highland Elementary teacher wins contest, reward is Gus’ Pretzels for his students
A simple Facebook contest turned into tasty treats for fifth graders at Highland Elementary School.
Unbeknownst to him, fifth grade teacher David Dempsey was entered into a contest on Facebook sponsored by Gus’ Pretzels in St. Louis in connection with celebrating their 100-year anniversary and the 100th day of the school year. The contest involved students’ families and the community voting for their favorite teacher.
Dempsey won and the prize was 100 pretzels from Gus’, delivered to his class Jan. 31. Fourth-generation baker Gus Koebbe III personally delivered the pretzels.
“I was walking into class the day it was announced ... one of our teachers said ‘Congrats! You got the pretzels.’ I was like ‘what?’ They had to stop and show me what was going on,” said Dempsey, who has been a teacher at Highland Elementary 11 years. “There were people all over the St. Louis area who had voted, even outside the St. Louis area. That was kind of cool to see all those people knew about this going on.”
Turns out, one of the school’s staff members saw on Facebook Gus’ was sponsoring this contest. Dempsey, who has a lifelong connection to Gus’, has been known to bring their pretzels into the students and teachers. This staff member relayed the contest info to Dempsey’s co-teacher, Chris Ford, who put it on Facebook and things snowballed from there. Dempsey is not on Facebook — his wife is — so he was completely in the dark. This went on approximately two weeks, Dempsey said.
“It got out to my students’ parents and staff who started voting for me,” Dempsey said. “All they had to do was post on Gus’ Facebook page who their favorite teacher was and why that teacher should get the pretzels. Even though I go to Gus’ all the time, I didn’t know there was a chance to win 100 free pretzels. Gus’ actually contacted one of our other teachers who had voted for me and saw she worked in the building. They had reached out to her and asked her to please have me contact them to make plans.
“It was just funny how they didn’t necessarily know who I was to call me directly.”
Dempsey teaches two math classes at Highland Elementary, so 50 students got pretzels. Dempsey set out the other 50 in the staff/teacher lunchroom, as the fourth grade teachers already had a luncheon planned.
“They know I love Gus’ and love to share them with them,” he said. “And they love Gus’ too. It all worked out perfect — couldn’t have planned it better.”
Dempsey’s students naturally were thrilled. He’s actually shown them videos of the bakery and on Google Earth where it’s located.
“They’re always excited to get fresh pretzels,” Dempsey said. “We did our research once we knew we won the contest so they had a better understanding of it ... not just this class but also my classes in the past. For Christmas one of my students gave me gift cards to Gus’. The family actually took the time to go all the way over there ... it’s been a connection for my students for years.”
Besides Gus’, Dempsey said he gets the students fare unique to that specific business.
“They always enjoy getting treats. Whatever that treat would be,” Dempsey said. “If I go out and visit a local bakery or a family-owned grocery store that makes something unique to their place, I try to pick up enough so the kids can experience it. I try to bring back treats. It helps them with some incentive to do their best, rewards them and gets them to try something tasty.”
Dempseys and Gus’ go way back
Dempsey’s connection with Gus’ spans many years. He grew up at his grandparents’ house around the corner from the bakery and his family sold the pretzels for several years.
“My dad and his brothers would buy pretzels from Gus’ in the 1950s for 2 1/2 cents apiece, get on the city bus and go downtown to St. Louis and sell them for a nickel apiece or five for a quarter,” Dempsey said. “That’s how the Dempsey side of the family got into the pretzel business. Then I got into the family business selling pretzels when I was old enough. The Dempseys always sold pretzels at the VP Fair ... it’s something our family grew up doing.
“Gus’ is what we started out with and then we went to selling frozen pretzels, depending on the festival and where it was at ... but our business was started because of Gus’.”
High schoolers get pretzels, too
Ironically, Highland High School ordered pretzels from Gus’ the same day. That meant another 1,000+ pretzels for the high schoolers.
“Gus was excited to bring them to the high school,” Dempsey said. “His family knows me because I’m in there buying pretzels so often. It is his dad I know much better. When they found out who it was, this Mr. Dempsey from Highland, Illinois, Gus said we did not know that one bit but as soon as we saw your picture posted of who won, the light bulb went on putting the name with the face.
“They were excited. It worked out for them — 1,000+ kids get a pretzel.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 10:06 AM.