School Supplies? But it's July!!!

Well it's the middle of July and it's back to school time!  What?  Some collective groans?  Yes, I have to admit that there are summers that I, too, am not ready to think about school starting when I could use my time to enjoy what precious few weeks I have off for gardening, swimming, and meeting up with friends and family in a more relaxed environment.  However there is one reason why I am out eagerly scouring the back to school sales in July--the students, and not necessarily every student but just that one, special student that I may never meet.

Let me tell you more, some children see the "Back to School" sales in the stores which creates ANXIETY.  Anxiety of knowing they will not have the means to purchase all the necessary (and unnecessary albeit cool) supplies for school.  Those students see the displays just as you and I do however they may be thinking, "I wish I could have that", "What if I don't fit in?", or "What will the other kids or teachers think?".  For these families sometimes putting food on the table and a roof over the head is such a difficulty that any frivolous school supplies can't be even considered.  When in reality the ticket out of poverty is their child's education and having school supplies for the first day of school is a positive reinforcement that education is both valued and necessary thus creating a priority in a student's life.

What's that?  School's should provide all the necessary supplies for students?  Well, you couldn't find a person more in agreement with that statement than I.   I won't even go into how teachers spend personal monies to buy supplies for their classrooms.  It's all been said before which is true but... consider this--when a teacher purchases supplies for a needy student and pulls the student aside (no matter how privately) the student KNOWS that the the teacher KNOWS they don't have materials at home for homework.  Then the student's anxiety level goes up AGAIN because they feel like they stand out and are labeled by the teacher or the school.  Now what do we do?

Many churches, synagogues, temples, and other volunteer organizations hold a school supply drive during the summer months, usually in July.  They then spend the beginning of August putting together backpacks full of pencils, crayons, erasers, paper, and even calculators to give to needy children who are just as deserving of an education as the next child.

You may be thinking, "How does this change things?"  The child is still getting a donation of supplies.  Does it matter if it comes from the teacher or another organization?  Well I would say that it DOES matter for a couple of reasons.  First, maybe the parent was able to pick up the supplies without the child's knowledge and now it's a beautiful gift.  Or even if the child was present when the supplies were picked up they have a boost of confidence knowing that the teacher doesn't know they received a donation and they feel more like the other kids in their school.  Either way it boosts the child's self esteem and readiness for school which as previously said, education is their ticket out of poverty.

Well, I think I've said enough and even if I haven't it's time for me to get back out there and pick out that perfect backpack full of supplies and lift a child's anxiety and ready them for school.  I hope you do the same thing.  Now isn't this a better definition for "no child left behind"?