At the end of each day, MEA member Jessi Brewer has her students think of their favorite thing from that day and text it to a parent, family member, or supportive adult at home. One day earlier this month, everyone shared the same fun news: We ran into Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at Trader Joe’s!

Brewer teaches life skills to adult students with intellectual disabilities, age 18-26, at the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District. She and four students, plus aide and MEA member Connie Mitchell and student teacher Anna Norton, were on a community-based instruction outing to do personal shopping in Grand Rapids when the magic happened.

“We just kept replaying it for the rest of the day – how great it was,” said Brewer, who was studying in college to be an art teacher when her cousin suffered a traumatic brain injury and she discovered her life’s passion and work.

Mitchell was standing outside the store, facing the exit in case a student emerged, when suddenly she saw the governor walk by on her way inside.

“I was like, ‘Oh, hi, Governor,’” said Mitchell, a 16-year paraeducator who started out as a custodian before realizing she loved working with autistic and emotionally impaired students. “She says ‘Hi,’ and I said, ‘I just want to thank you for all you’ve done for the state of Michigan. I am so grateful for you. Thank you so much; you do a great job.’”

After saying thank you, Whitmer grabbed a cart and entered the store. That’s when Norton, the student teacher from Grand Valley State University, exited. Mitchell pulled her back inside to see Whitmer, flanked by a two-person security detail.

Minutes later, Brewer and the students were heading out when Mitchell asked if they’d spotted Whitmer. Brewer picked up the story: “I said, ‘What?’ And the students said, ‘What?’ So we went back into the store, and she happened to be walking right down the main aisle as we all came back in.

“I just came up to her, and I said, ‘Hi. We’re really excited to see you. I’m Jessi Brewer; I’m a teacher, and my students and I recognized you. Would you mind if we get a picture?’ And she’s like, ‘Oh, no. That’s fine. I’m just grabbing some lunch between meetings.’”

A 13-year teaching veteran and president of her local union, Brewer said she apologized for interrupting Whitmer’s shopping trip, “but I said to her, ‘We really wanted to say we love you and thank you for everything you do,’ and I told her, ‘I was at the MEA (Winter) Conference when you came to speak to us!’ Then I thanked her for supporting public education.”

Meanwhile, one of Brewer’s students who tends to “get very huggy,” she said, “immediately went up to the governor to give her a hug, and she didn’t even flinch, but she let me be the buffer. I was like, ‘Hey! Remember you need to ask first before you approach someone!’ And she was just so gracious about it.”

The young man did get a hug, and Whitmer treated all the students with respect, Brewer added.  “She was just very kind, very personable, and very sweet.”

After the photo, the group left the governor to her shopping with their thanks. “Then as we were pulling away, my student teacher says, ‘I should have told her thank you for letting student teachers get paid (a stipend) now!’”

Brewer’s students planned the trip as part of their lessons on managing personal finances and other independent living skills. They venture out into the Grand Haven area frequently, but only rarely go as far as Grand Rapids, the teacher said.

“It was just so random – what are the odds? And we told them, ‘Good job planning this trip, guys!’ They were like, ‘We’ve still got to go to Woodland Mall,’ because they love the food court there. So we went to the food court, and for the rest of the day they were saying, ‘We saw Whitmer!’”

Added Mitchell, “It was a quick moment, but it was a cool brush with fame for our students.”