It is common sense for everyone who has ever attended public school but studies that beginning the school year with the necessary school supplies:
· Promotes learning
· Boosts self esteem
· Keeps kids in school
Sadly, as school funding is cut, schools provide less, and parents are asked to provide more. Many cases of students lacking success in their classrooms have to do with a student’s being prepared to learn. Having something as simple as pencils and paper are things that can set the level of achievement for the student. School supplies impact the success of the student in ways that most of us never have to consider. Some students are never really prepared for the day because they come to class without supplies. We all remember that school supplies play an important role in educational outcomes.
Financially strapped families struggle with how they will be able to provide all of the supplies requested on school lists. School supply drives like United Way’s Stuff the Bus, helps ensure that ALL kids have the same opportunity to begin the school year right. For some students simply remembering where to go and what to do is emotionally taxing. Having everything that you need to get the work completed prepares students and gives them a sense of security that they otherwise may not have.
Lower income kids often face multiple hurdles. Working hard and staying in school are offer hope for a stronger future. Having the right tools makes a difference. Kids already feel out of place, and coming to school with an empty backpack makes it even harder to fit in. With the right tools in hand, students are more capable of being engaged in whatever they are studying. Knowing that they have what they need provides kids with the confidence to keep progressing and learning because they are on par with their peers. Without these essentials, the student is likely to feel overwhelmed or unequipped, which can bring down their drive and confidence. So, having these supplies really shows them that they are in control and that this is their educational experience, allowing them to make the most out of it.
Kids crave stimulation, so being in school is great for them. But losing their focus can quickly turn into losing their interest. Ask any teacher, the lack of supplies can turn into mischief quickly, disrupting the concentration of the classroom. So, if we can help students have what they need, then chances are, they will do what they need to do in order to stay ahead and continue learning
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Help make a difference in the life and future of a struggling child, read more about local opportunities to help below.
