Students surprise teacher with glasses for color blindness

WORCESTER, Pa. -- Students raised enough money to buy special glasses for a color-blind teacher in Eagleville, Pennsylvania.

On Monday afternoon, for the first time in his life, Matt Alzamora could distinguish between the colors of the rainbow.

Yellow from orange. Green from blue.

The Methacton High School history teacher has his students, including Andrew Bregman and Maci Chambers, to thank.

"Earlier in the year, he would talk about how he is color blind," Bregman explained.

"One day in seventh period, he was talking about an experience he had with his daughter, where one day she was talking about how pretty the sunset was, and he said he just really wanted to be able to see a sunset," Chambers recalled.

The students researched online and found a company that manufactures special eyeglasses for people who are color blind. Students started donating what they could.

"I had someone bring in over $100, someone over $50 - people brought in $20, $10, $5, so a lot of people pitched in more than what was necessary," Bregman said.

They raised $528, enough for the eyeglasses. During Teacher Appreciation Week the students surprised Matt Alzamora with his pair during a staff meeting.

"Yeah they work. It's vivid. It's different. Like the balloons. I thought there was only a couple colors. And like now, you can see the difference," he described.

Matt Alzamora's family was there to experience the moment with him.

"I am just overwhelmed for him and that the students would do this for him," his wife Patty Alzamora said.

"I think he's most excited about when fall comes around because of all the different colors of the leaves," his son Ryan Alzamora said.

The timing of the gift was perfect as Matt Alzamora was set to take his students on a trip to France in the summer.

"And so I'll be able to see the Louvre in color. So it will be neat to see the Mona Lisa in color, to be able to see all the different pieces of art in color. It's a great community in Lower Providence, the kids are amazing. It's a credit to the community that they would do something for me of all people," Matt Alzamora said.