For over 20 years, Meghan Fe'iloaki has dedicated her life to educating children. But long before this amazing McMillan Elementary 4^th Grade Teacher stepped into a Murray classroom, an unforgettable summer spent teaching in Tonga reshaped her entire perspective on community, sharing, and what it truly means to look out for one another.

When Meghan returned from Tonga, memories of students struggling with basic necessities—like clothing and school supplies—stayed with her. Rather than taking unused items to local drop boxes, she began organizing clothing drives to ship directly across the Pacific. Years later, after getting married, an opportunity arose when a local Title 1 school found itself with hundreds of surplus backpacks. Meghan immediately stepped up to take them off their hands.

Alongside her husband, who grew up in Tonga, Meghan shipped the crate of backpacks to his family back home. What happened next left a lasting mark on her heart.

“We thought they would share them with the school their own children attended, and they did,” Meghan shares. “However, my husband's family took most of the backpacks to the outer islands where families struggle even more. I was astounded, but that is a very Tongan attitude: You share what you have, and everyone gets taken care of.”

Over the years, Meghan and her husband have continued sending aid whenever possible. When Tonga faced a devastating Category 5 hurricane in 2020, followed by a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022, their family rallied to gather essential supplies like toilet paper, food, and clothing to ship overseas.

To get supplies to the islands, Meghan orders a giant 4' x 4' wooden crate to her driveway, packs it full, and pays to ship it by boat via California. Once it clears customs in Tonga, her husband’s family steps in to distribute the goods—always dividing what they have with neighbors and surrounding islands.

“It would be easy to take the benefit and keep it for yourself, your family, and your friends,” Meghan says. “But they share with strangers who have more need. They divide everything, and somehow they always have enough because their neighbors share back in turn.”

Rooted in Family and Community

When she isn't teaching or organizing supplies, Meghan’s world revolves around her family—her husband, their 9-year-old son, and 7-year-old twins. Together, they love camping, reading, riding bikes, and traveling to visit family in Tonga, Australia, and New Zealand. To keep their children deeply connected to their Tongan heritage here in Utah, her kids take Polynesian dance classes and are learning to speak Tongan from their dad.

Meghan also loves teaching close to home, knowing that her work directly enriches the community her own children are growing up in. She speaks passionately about the professional support in Murray City School District—highlighting how working alongside her teaching partner, Emma Quilter, and collaborating on new math and literacy routines has transformed her classroom.

“I love that Murray is small enough that I have people who can come offer specific training and expertise to help me improve,” she says, “because my improvement has a direct impact on student achievement.”

A Lesson in Sharing

For Meghan, her family’s efforts in Tonga are a gentle reminder of how interconnected we all are—and how small acts of kindness add up.

“Looking out for the needs of others has a two-way benefit,” Meghan reflects. “Having a global view matters. We have so much here in the U.S., and if we adopt the attitude that we can share a little to benefit others, our world is a better place. Taking the time to interact with people who are different from you enriches your life—we are always better for it.”

Want to Help?

Because the cost of freight shipping to remote islands is high, Meghan quietly collects donations over time until she has enough to fill and ship a crate. If you have extra backpacks, pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, or scissors you’d like to donate, Meghan is happy to collect and store them for the next shipment!