The start of the school year is quickly approaching, and teachers are getting ready to stock their classrooms! Teachers spend around $1,000 (out of their own pockets) just to prepare for the school year. This is a huge expense, especially for those already on a tight budget. That’s why I got involved with Stock Our Schools: Clay County — a group that connects Clay County, FL, teachers with community members who desire to help classrooms by donating extra supplies.
Three years ago, I joined this incredible group, which was already in its first year. Now, we are in our fourth year and going strong. I started by shopping for a couple of teachers from the school in our neighborhood. The joy I felt knowing that kids in our community were using those items was immeasurable. That initial involvement sparked a passion in me, leading me to brainstorm ideas for expanding the list and sharing it with others who wanted to help. I eventually became an admin for the group, stepping into the shoes of the previous admin who had done an outstanding job.
This year, we’ve gathered over 700 wish lists from Clay County teachers, and the list continues to grow. In addition to the group efforts, I created a website, stockourschools.com, where I manually add all the wish lists. This makes it easy for everyone, even those not connected to the area, to shop for teachers. Grandparents located across the map have commented on how convenient it is to shop from the website. This entire initiative is volunteer-based; I am simply a connector between the lists and donors.
Despite the amazing support, we still have numerous lists that haven’t been touched. Additionally, we have a special list for first-year teachers who are starting brand new and definitely need extra help. You can view and support these teachers here.
HELP STOCK OUR SCHOOLS: CLAY COUNTY
It is incredible to see how the community comes together to support the teachers and students. Teachers have been sharing pictures of the items they’ve received, and two teachers have even shared that their lists have been completely cleared. One of my favorite items a teacher received was Mr. Bones, the skeleton. Another teacher was thrilled about Mr. Bones as well, saying, “The old Mr. Bones is missing his patella and part of his skull! A much-needed replacement!!!”
After reviewing over 700 wish lists numerous times, I’ve noticed that the most-wanted items include snacks for kids, little birthday bracelets, colored paper for printing, pencil erasers, an electric sharpener, and the beloved Ticonderoga pencils.
The majority of the items are less than $10, and if you want to sponsor an item for a teacher, shop from the link directly stockourschools.com or join our group, and the teacher will thank you once the item is received. If you are not in Clay County, check out the Stock our Schools for Duval.
I want to end with a quote from one of the teachers from the group, “It gives a heartwarming and uplifting mood going into the school year. Thanks for showing your appreciation and value to educators.”
Let’s come together and make this school year the best one yet for our teachers and students!