Christmas came early courtesy of a big surprise for a waitress in Mount Juliet, and it was all thanks to some high school students.
Over the last two and a half months, students in John Willis's senior finance class at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy have been saving and donating their spare change to give to their favorite waitress.
For the last four years, Willis has taken his classes to Steak ’n Shake for "study breakfasts."
That's how they got to know Martha. This year while studying Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, and specifically the topic of giving, they decided to give her a Christmas surprise.
"We just wanted her to know how much we appreciate the love she's shown us and just the kindness and she's just always always upbeat and treating us like we're family, and we wanted to show her how we appreciated that,” said John Willis.
In all, the students raised more than $1,500.
After she opened the check, Martha, who the class described as very outgoing, said she was "speechless for the first time” in her life.