(Image source from: PIX11.com)

Genevieve Via Cava, a teacher in Dumont, New Jersey, who have devoted 45 years of her life in aiding students with learning disabilities and died in 2011, gave a huge unanticipated gift to the school she worked in.

The Dumont Public Schools received a cheque from her estate of $1 million in this April.

Via Cava, after her retirement in 1990, continued to visit the school district for which she worked, checking on classes.

The former educator, who had no children or menage of her own, had accumulated a small fortune through her prodigious saving habits. She left the astounding donation with an intent to fund scholarships for special education students seeking post-secondary education.

School superintendent Emanuele Triggiano calling Via Cava's endowment as blessing expressed that in her frequent visits Via Cava told about her passion for her students and how much she liked working at Dumont.

"One day she quietly told me she accumulated a large sum of money and she planned on donating it," said Triggiano, who was pleased but didn't give it much thought at the time.

Scholarships will be available to one or more special education students planning to continue their education, which will commence with next spring's high school graduates. However, the amount will depend on how much interest is generated by the $1 million gift, with a minimal amount of $25,000 per student.

"In the event, the scholarship fund grows to the extent that two or more scholarships can be made available, we can then give it to additional students," Triggiano said.

By Sowmya Sangam