By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Area educators are more than invested in in their profession. Each year educators reach into their own pockets to help fill the needs of their individual and collective classrooms due to limited funding. According to NEA Today, (https://www.nea.org/ ), “On average, educators spend somewhere between $500 and $750 of their own money every year on things students need.”
When taken collectively, that is a staggering sum. In fact, some estimates place the amount spent by educators in Kentucky alone – that is never reimbursed – at around 33 million dollars. It is a burden that educators shoulder willingly to make sure their students have the supplies to support their education. They help become part of the solution to a problem they personally did not cause; in spite of the fact that many teachers are paying off student loans while paying out of pocket to help their students.
On Saturday, August 8, however, several organizations banded together to take some of the burden off of area educators. The United Way of the River Cities partnered with other organizations including iHeart Media, Armstrong Media, and the Huntington Mall to put on an event designed to take some of the pressure off area educators, not to mention the strain on their wallets.
The Annual Tools for Teachers event was held on Saturday at the Huntington Mall in Barboursville, West Virginia, but was open to any area teacher. Initially the event was intended to help the first 250 teachers who registered, but that number was quickly increased to 300 due to the overwhelming response. There was also an overflow line for latecomers who were able to receive supplies while supplies lasted.
“Teachers invest so much of their own time, energy, and resources into creating positive learning environments,” said Margi Valdez, of the Huntington Mall. “Through Tools for Teachers, we want to show our appreciation and help ensure every student has access to the tools they need to learn and thrive.”
Executive Director of the United Way of the River Cities Jedd Flowers said the event was designed with both teachers and students in mind.
“We want to provide back to school supplies to the teachers so they can distribute them to their students,” Flowers said. “It’s the beginning of the school year, and unfortunately many families are forced to choose between buying groceries or buying school supplies.”
Flowers said the goal is to take that pressure off of families with the help of the entire community.
“When you look at the six counties we directly serve, 49 percent of our families are at or below the poverty level” Flowers said. “And 80 percent of those families work.”
Flowers said there is a United Way in every community, and though the event took place in West Virginia, any teacher in the region could qualify for the Tools for Teacher’s giveaway.
“Many teachers in our region end up buying school supplies for their classrooms,” United Way’s Director of Marketing and Communications Michelle Goodman said. “Every year its inevitable, so we have this event in partnership with the Huntington Mall and KEE 100 FM so teachers can come in and register through a line of supplies and get those things they need for their classrooms.” Goodman said the list of available supplies included necessary things like tissues, disinfectant wipes, glue sticks, paper, markers, and other associated supplies.
Goodman said the United Way tries to interact with teachers throughout the year with other events like Read Across the River Cities (in October) and Super Saturday (in February or March). They also help with kindergarten registration which Goodman says is a good resource for parents.
“We try to stay connected with the schools,” Goodman said. “Because ultimately they are in charge of our children’s success.”
Both Flowers and Goodman said that community support is crucial to helping both teachers and students succeed in the classroom.
“We have been blessed with good community support,” Flowers said. “And without that, we wouldn’t be able to continue doing what we do.”
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
